30 Inspirations of Kaito & Aoko: Cerulean Light
by Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody
Summary: IN PROGRESS: Between the phantom in the shadows and the inspector's daughter, fighting for love is never simple when danger lurks so closely, but it is the greatest challenge worth trying when you know what you are fighting for, lest chaos reigns and pain succeeds. / Inspired by 31 Songs / Pairing: Kaito&Aoko
1. My Heart Will Go On

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama_** **.**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#1_**

 **TITLE:** ** _My Heart Will Go On_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ My Heart Will Go On, by Celine Dion ~_**

 **~M.K~**

Aoko found herself outside the reception, staring at the night sky from behind her little corner beside the stone railing. Maybe the stress had been too stifling for her to handle with only two hours of sleep and hour-long sessions with the planner over the phone. All she knew was that she had been pacing back and forth, trying to calm her future parents-in-law about a mistake in their dinner orders while the rest of the dinner guests had broken out into a hazy amount of chatter.

One thing led to another when she had crashed into one of the waiters while caught in a frazzled haste to escape the mother of her fiance who wouldn't stop criticizing her poor choice of venue, which had led to the champagne knocked over and soaking her from her hair to her dress.

The room had finally gone silent. All eyes were on her. Heart racing, head spinning, and temper rising, Aoko did the only thing she could think of to diffuse the situation without bloodshed.

She grabbed her purse and stormed off without a word, even when her fiance chased after her. She quietly requested time alone, and the look on her face must have warned him not to interfere should he wish to survive the night. He truly was a smart lad.

She ignored her father and flew through the doors at a speed to envy a flea. It was confounding how the urgency for solitude took her to the other side of the hotel, passed curious guests and staff members without a single word or glance. Outside, she found herself near the gardens facing the mountains, faintly outlined against the night sky. Aoko was too tired to care. Here it was quiet and peaceful. No one to badger her. It was the perfect place to collect herself before she ended up strangling someone.

"Stuffy old woman," she said crossly. Without a doubt, she would hear about her conduct in the morning, followed by whispers to her fiance that she was _clearly_ the wrong choice.

How fate had managed to set her up with such a picky mother-in-law was beyond Aoko. How did such a woman manage to raise a fine son? Aoko had grown up without her own mother to prepare her for such things, and the closest maternal figure she ever had was quite a free-spirited woman whom one would _not_ have thought to be a mother. As if life had not been bizarre enough, she found herself wishing for that old, little fantasy of actually having that woman as her mother-in-law.

But that meant marrying a certain someone, and that was impossible.

Aoko groaned and closed her eyes, fighting the tears wanting to crop up. There was only a week left to the ceremony. If this was how she handled one dinner, how was she supposed to fair for the rest of her life? For birthdays and holidays and grandchildren? She had already been disliked for not being more traditional, but to be outright rude was bound to put question marks in the air, followed by many exclamation marks.

"Are you all right, miss?" she heard someone ask. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw a uniformed young man standing behind her, one of the hotel's employees no doubt.

"Ah, yes," she replied, her voice cracking slightly. "I just needed some air. I'll be inside in a moment."

She turned back to the night sky, her heart heavy. From the silence, she could have sworn he had left, which was why she jumped when he spoke again.

"You must be cold," he said. "Would you like for me to fetch your coat?"

Aoko forced a small smile on her face. "No, thank you. Really, I won't be out long."

This time, she remained facing him and was slightly puzzled that he only bowed but remained where he was standing. There was no one else around to see them. In fact, from where they were standing, they would not be easily spotted from within the confines of the hotel windows or doors. Aoko shivered, not only from the cold but from the vague sense of foreboding.

"What's your name?" she asked, her weary mind holding onto enough sense to keep vigilant. Something was not right about him.

"Shimizu Shiro, miss," the young man replied. "You shouldn't be alone out here. It's dangerous at night."

Aoko grasped her hands over her arms. "And am I any safer with you here?"

Shimizu's expression never changed. "Honestly? No."

Aoko's heavy heart began to race. She knew how to defend herself, naturally, but her chances of running passed him weren't great with her shoes. Before she could ever plan on discarding them, the young man sighed and walked right passed her, opting to sit on the stone baluster railing and gaze up at the sky, leaving her pathway clear.

"The full moon has passed," he commented, watching at the pale orb partially hidden behind smoky clouds. "It's always beautiful to look at, but so sad. Don't you think, Nakamori-san?"

Aoko blinked. "I never told you my name."

Shimizu's smile was kind, though his eyes were distant. "This hotel is hosting your wedding. It's quite a grand honor, and it would be foolish to forget you."

Aoko's suspicions began to wane slightly, but not much. "Shouldn't you be working?"

"Hmm?" Shimizu shrugged. "I don't work here."

"But you're wearing their uniform!"

His eyes gleamed mischievously. "I was cold."

The clouds passed, and the two were showered in the moonlight. It was only then that Aoko truly got a good look at the young man sitting before her. What she had mistaken for dress trousers and shoes were actually black jeans and boots. The gloves on his hands were also black instead of cream. All he wore was the upper piece of the uniform. His hair was dark, and she was so certain she had never seen him before in her life.

Until she saw the color of his eyes.

All thoughts of running back to the reception area to deal with her future in-laws vanished as his eyes finally caught hold of hers. All frustrations and fear drained from her body, leaving her numb and unable to speak.

"It can't be," she whispered, falling a few steps back in shock.

In her five and twenty years in this world, Aoko realized that this moment was fate's cruelest trick. Not her in-laws. Fate must have been waiting to throw this at her when she needed it the least, just to add a bit more pain to that kick. Because she knew those eyes. Ever since she was a child. They were engraved not only to memory but to her heart, never to be erased, though she had tried.

Bluer than sapphires. Bluer than her own, or any shade on the scale. Sharp, knavish, and glimmering with mischief, there had only been one man in her whole world to ever own that shade of blue.

"Kaito," she breathed. All her woes momentarily flew into the air. "You can't be…"

The young man smiled. The look was so generically kind that Aoko hadn't noticed that it never reached his eyes, clear of any secrets she could crack.

"Why can't I be?" he asked, dropping the false voice and letting a deeper tenor take hold. Aoko's entire body shuddered, exceptionally warm at the sound. "It's not like I was trying to hide from you. Otherwise, this would have been a different conversation."

Heat flooded Aoko's being, her heart lost in its race, and her body shivered, now oblivious to the chill in the night air. She stumbled away, shaking her head repetitively.

"No, you can't be!" she insisted, her voice high. Her sleep-deprived mind had finally caught up with her. "You can't be Kaito! You're a dream. Or I'm going mad!"

Yet, in front of her eyes, he reached up a face and tentatively removed the mask plastered over his face, like those he used to use on his night job. The very occupation that had stolen him away from her those years ago. Tears welling at the corners of her eyes at the sight of the young man sitting on the railing.

Dark hair a disheveled, untamable mess to rival her own, a chiseled, smooth face of a man capable of breaking a thousand hearts, and those blue eyes, unfathomable and mysterious as the last day she had seen him standing before her. Older than she remembered by six years, so real she wished she could reach out and touch him.

"You're not mad, Aoko," Kaito said, descending from the railing with prudent grace.

"You can't be here!" Aoko insisted, her voice quivering with emotion. "You're dead!"

She thought she witnessed a glimmer of sadness in his eyes, but it vanished before she could inspect closer.

"So, what if I am? A guy can't come and visit his best friend?" Kaito pouted. "I'm hurt."

Only standing a mere few inches away from her, Kaito reached out his hand and in a blink of an eye, a lovely white rose bloomed into existence. Soft and glowing in the moonlight, it had a simple blue ribbon tied around its stem. The air was unfathomably cold now as she tentatively reached out her hand, and with a mild gasp, accepted the rose from his hand, his gloved hand bristling against her own. It was real enough. Not a delusion. Aoko held out her other hand, and with a bit of daring, rested her fingers against his cheek.

"Your hands are icy!" Kaito complained almost immediately.

The tears finally spilled over. Torn between joy and sorrow, Aoko took that blessed opportunity to smack him in the face. He yelped in surprise.

"Or maybe you spent too much time in hell!" she snapped at him. Kaito winced and held up his hands defensively, her red palm print standing out on his cheek. "Anything below charring flames is cold to you!"

"That's a little harsh, don't you think?" he asked, laughing weakly.

"Harsh? You want to know what's harsh, Kuroba Kaito?" Aoko demanded, her tone deadly quiet. He almost flinched. "Finding out my best friend, the man I was _in love with_ , was the internationally _WANTED KAITOU KID_ the same night he got shot to death! You bled out in my arms! My father had a field day! Your mother almost had a heart attack! And I had to plan your funeral! You burning in hell is a long way from harsh!"

She was glad he had the common decency to look bashful, poker face be damned.

"Alright. I'll give you that one," he admitted, embarrassed. Then he sighed and offered her a smirk. "Though, that drowned cat look of yours really compliments that dress. Quite a daring cut in front of the in-laws, don't you think? There's no space to flip anything."

Aoko had never blushed so hard.

"If you want to die again…" she growled at him, sniffling.

Kaito grinned. "Actually, I'm here for something far more perilous."

Aoko's heart skipped, goosebumps rising on her skin. "And that would be?"

He pulled away from her and shed the uniform jacket to reveal a plain blue shirt, similar to the one from his old costume. His scent lingered to the fabric as he draped it over her shoulders, wrapping her in a renewed sense of warmth. Then, he swept and arms back and bowed gracefully, offering her his hand.

"A dance," he replied smoothly. "One last time."

Aoko's eyes were fixed on the smooth curves of his hands. "Why?"

"Why not? Your rehearsal dinner didn't go as planned. You're embarrassed and upset," he listed off. "Why not dance? Nothing else could go wrong."

"You said it was perilous!"

Kaito pretended to grimace. "Not for you," he said. "But if it helps, I shall willingly sacrifice the comfort of my toes."

Aoko blushed, remembering the times when Kaito was alive and had tried to teach her to waltz. She had stomped on his toes far more times than she could count, and his poker face had not been enough to disguise his pain. Even the dance lessons she had taken for her wedding lacked the skill and grace she wanted.

"Idiot," she muttered weakly, hesitantly accepting his offered hand.

It was ridiculous. She had been so far from thinking of Kaito, and how here he was, pulling her close, one warm hand holding hers, and the other latched protectively to her waist. The night air was absent of music, yet he led her through such a slow, rhythmic dance that she could almost hear it.

"Why now?" Aoko gazed up at him, willing herself to etch every curve to memory. "Why didn't you come back before?"

Kaito smirked. "Earning a pass out of hell takes time. Ah!"

Aoko would never admit to stepping on his foot on purpose.

"You're going to get married, Aoko," he finally said after a moment's silence. "It should be your happiest day, and instead, you're miserable. You don't deserve that. Not after everything I put you through."

Aoko tore her sight away from him, staring up at the moon. Somehow it washed the memories of that night across her eyes, the night that she lost Kaito forever at a ball hosted by the Suzuki Corporation for another grand Kid Heist. She had been extended an invitation. She'd tried to help capture Kid and instead found herself facing a barrel of a gun. Then he was there, a gleaming white shield for such a naive maiden. Many nights, she wished she never went. Perhaps he would still be alive…

Or maybe…

Aoko frowned and gazed deeply into her best friend's sapphire eyes. How could he really be here? After a moment's hesitation, she leaned settled her ear over his heart. Their tuneless dance came to a halt when she realized, numb to the core, that he had no heartbeat. Aoko tugged her hands from his grip, placing one on his neck and the other at his wrist, feeling for a pulse.

"That won't help, Aoko," Kaito said calmly, watching as the reality slowly set in her eyes. To the truth that they both knew well.

He was still dead.

"But that's not possible," Aoko whispered. Her grip on his body tightened. "I _feel_ you here! You-you're _moving!_ Y-You're _talking_ to me!"

Kaito grinned cheekily. "I've learned not to underestimate the _magical_ wonders of the world. I would say it's my finest performance yet." His head tilted forward until their foreheads were pressed together. "Perhaps one day… I'll show you. When we meet again."

Tears crept up in the corner of Aoko's eyes. That subtle aroma of mint, linen, and smoke lingered on his person. His voice was deeper. His features were older. Aoko knew in her heart that her imagination was far beyond the torturous skill of molding the Kaito she desired most in her life into reality, alive and handsome and hers to keep. It was too real to be a dream.

"Why can't you show me now?" she asked in hushed tones. "Why can't you stay?"

At the hurt in her voice, Kaito reclaimed her hands and rested them against his neck, grasping her waist and holding her so closely that his cool breath mingled with hers. Swaying them to his soundless music, he closed his eyes.

"My time has passed here," he said. "Like my father before me. Only he was strong enough to stay in the other place. I wasn't. I had to see you again."

Aoko wasn't sure if she should even ask what he meant.

"You really have grown," he continued. "You're more beautiful than I remember."

Aoko choked out a laugh. "I must be dreaming if you're calling me beautiful and not plain," she said hoarsely. "Or unimaginative. Or irresponsible. Or too western to be a suitable wife."

Kaito's eyes opened wide, his gaze sharper than a knife.

"Is that what the batty woman said?" he said flatly, an underlying irritation lining his tone. "I should give her a piece of my mind…"

"Don't you dare!" Aoko clung tightly to him, keeping him by her side before he raced into the hotel and caused havoc. He might just give her father a heart attack. " _Bakaito!_ You'll just make a bigger mess! The last thing I need is for people to think zombies are at my rehearsal dinner!"

Kaito snorted with laughter. "Zombies? Do I look like a decaying monster to you?"

Aoko ignored his barb. "Look. I don't even know what to think anymore! I don't even think I can go through with the wedding as is! Hideyoshi-san is… well, he's…"

"A respectable officer in the police force," Kaito said knowingly. "Miyamoto Hideyoshi. Born September 3, age 27, height 188cm, weight 92kg, blood type A, social security number—"

Aoko clamped her hand over his mouth. "How do you even know these things? You're dead!"

Silence fell over them as Kaito fondly shook his head and prized her fingers away, entwining them with his own. Cool to touch, he raised her hand to his lips and gently dotted her smooth skin with delicate kisses, like he used to before the Incident. Every touch burned her with yearning, as bizarre as it was in that moment.

"Miyamoto Aoko isn't a bad name," he pondered aloud. "Kuroba Aoko would have been better."

Tears threatened to return as his words registered in her mind. Of what it would have meant to bear Kaito's name instead of her fiance's.

"Don't," she pleaded, wanting to tug her hand free but realizing that her strength had waned. "Please don't, Kaito. I can't think about that now. It's too late. Everything is too late! At this point, my chances of being 'Miyamoto Aoko' is slim."

Kaito sighed.

"Idiot," he said, grasping her waist firmly before tearing her from her depressing thoughts into a sudden, twirling dance. Aoko squealed and clutched onto his shoulders as he sat her on the stone railing, trapping her in arms away from the rest of the world.

"Kaito!" she protested.

"Do you think I came all this way to watch you give up?" he asked. "No, because you see… Nakamori Aoko never gives up. She gets angry enough to try and murder yours truly with a mop. Or even scare her own father out of his wits. She never gives up cooking, even when she's bad at it. Easily roasting meat."

The impact of her hand on his shoulder stung them both.

"Ouch!" Kaito fought a grimace. "And she knows how to hit 'em where it hurts. But the greatest part of all is that she is _extraordinarily_ resilient. Maybe the most resilient person that I have ever known. Regardless of crossroads you'd meet or the roadblocks daring enough to stand in your way, sheer will always drove you to do anything you wanted. I grew up knowing that about you."

Aoko sniffled. "You make me sound like you."

Kaito's eyes gleamed. "No. It's exactly _you_. I'd know because it's what inspired me after my father died. You were there when I needed you, and now you need me to show you that no one in that room can change what you want. I know you love him, and be far from me to say it, he's a good man. He's not Hakuba, thankfully—" Aoko playfully swatted him. "—but he makes you smile. Adores you. He certainly doesn't let his bat of a mother get in the way of marrying you, so don't give up on him."

His dark hair ruffled in the chilly night air. A gentle breath escaped his lips as he felt Aoko's nimble fingers comb through the silky, disheveled mess, caressing the sides of his face in the process.

"Are you really asking me to marry another man?" she questioned.

"Yes," Kaito replied simply. "You love him, don't you? You can't marry me. Necrophilia is frowned on in most social circles."

He hissed when she tugged harshly on his hair. Somewhere in his mind, he wondered how he fell in love with such a violent woman.

"Oi, oi! What I'm trying to say is live your life, Aoko!" he said insistently. "Trust me, thinking of what could have been only takes away from what is and will be. I won't be here, but you'll see me again. But first, I want you to live your life!

"Have the career you always wanted! Go to movies, dances, travel, get a puppy." He grinned at the amusement in her eyes. "See your children. Your grandchildren. Your great-grandchildren." Aoko outright giggled. "You know what, add great-great-grandchildren to the list. I don't want you coming early and mucking up my kitchen with your bad cooking. Ouch! Geez!"

Kaito rubbed the side of his face where she had pinched him. But his grin broadened.

"Have it all. Have that mortal life with him." He reached up and brushed Aoko's damp hair back from her face. He pulled her toward him until their lips were tickled by the warmth of each others' breaths.

"Eh, I'll give him a lifetime with you. But _all of eternity?_ I'm a thief, Aoko. Don't think I won't steal it. Every second of time. You'll have me forever."

Aoko shivered in his arms as his smooth lips softly nipped at hers before crashing into her with the force of a hurricane. Her lips were prized apart with a heady moan caused by the sudden wave of overwhelming passion that sparked from Kaito's desperate kiss. He tasted of spicy peppermint, completely enraptured with molding their lips together until Aoko thought her heart would explode.

It was electric, whatever magic this was between them. Illusion or not, from his lips to hers, she felt every feeling in his being that his poker face concealed. Joy. Sorrow. Regret. Need. Want. Love. Every ounce of it was unmistakable. The way he held her, his arms so strong and safe, the way he whispered her name when they parted for breath, the way the glistening blue of his eyes darkened when he pierced her gaze with his own…

Aoko felt her head spin, dazed with the feeling of utmost happiness.

"I love you, Nakamori Aoko," she heard him whispered. "I'll wait for you. I promise."

Aoko smiled up at him as fatigue finally settled into her body. The tension in her shoulders had eased and the weight in her chest had lightened, but at the cost of an entire week's worth of stress and sleeplessness to overwhelm her senses. The last image Aoko saw was that of the handsome phantom thief fading into the night.

Something shook at Aoko's shoulder. It was firm and brisk and utterly annoying.

"Go away," she slurred tiredly.

"Aoko! What happened? What are you doing on the ground?"

The sound of her father's voice prodded her to force her eyes apart. In a blurry daze, she recognized the dimly lit features of her father's face, worried and confused.

"Tou-san?" she asked groggily. "What are you talking about?"

Ginzo Nakamori sighed in relief when he realized his daughter had just been sleeping and not attacked in any way. "When you didn't come back, we split off to look for you," he explained, helping her to stand up. Apparently, she'd been lying on the lush grass in the middle of the garden beside the fountain. "Hideyoshi-kun gave his mother a piece of his mind for treating you like that. Good thing, too, or I would have."

"Hideyoshi-san did?" she yawned out before his words hit her.

Somewhere in the back of her weary mind, a tiny flicker of alarm shot her senses awake. That would have canceled the wedding for sure. She would know; she had inherited her father's sailor mouth.

Staring at her father, the muddled rush of memories surged to the surface.

She had been at the dinner and there had been arguments. In anger, she'd left to evade the oncoming meltdown and had found this place. She didn't remember collapsing at all. The thought of that young staff worker came to mind when she first arrived…

Followed by everything else.

Aoko's legs almost gave way beneath her. Her eyes searched desperately across the garden, but there was no one else in sight but her father. The fountain gurgled beside them, a cupid bearing a jar of water between two swans. Exhaustion must have taken over and she must have passed out.

Her heart cracked. Of course, it had only been a dream.

"Aoko? What's wrong?" Ginzo frowned at the devastation in his daughter's eyes. "If this is about Shiori-san, trust me, she won't interfere with the wedding anymore."

Aoko pressed her hands to her stiff, cold cheeks. She paused, realizing that instead of icy fingers, she discovered that her hands were warm, protected by larger, black gloves. Dumbfounded, her keen eyes traveled from her hands to her arms. Why was she wearing the hotel staff uniform jacket? Who had given this to her?

"Did you put these on me?" she asked her father.

Ginzo shook his head. "No, I found you like this. Now, if you're done gawking, we're going back inside before you get yourself sick… Aoko?"

But Ginzo was left to ponder what on earth was going on his daughter's head as she hastened to the stone railing, her eyes pealing for any hint, any sign that her heart hadn't been lying to her.

Lying at the base of the balusters was none other than a snowy white rose with a blue ribbon tied around its stem. Shivering beneath the warm jacket, Aoko lifted the flower with a delicate hand and staring wondering at the soft, white petals. Her fingers skimmed over the blue ribbon, the image of Kaito's nimble fingers sprouting it into existence before her very eyes.

A bead of a tear cropped up in the corner of her eye. Maybe it wasn't a dream, after all.

"He was here," Aoko whispered to herself, her heart hammering joyously.

Her father's calling voice was distance. The frigid night was warm and full of wonders. The moon gleamed down from above her, the only keeper to her most precious of secrets.

 _Live your life... Don't give up… You'll have me forever… I'll wait for you… I promise._

Each word was too precious to forget. Each one etched itself to her heart, a reminder that she had so much more to do. She looked back, one last time, at the stone baluster railing, before following her father back into the hotel.

He'd better keep his promise.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **At hand, I might be pushing it, starting a new series of one-shots, but I absolutely adore this pairing and when inspiration strikes, why fight it. The title of each chapter represents the song that inspired the overall chapter posted, so enjoy, everyone!**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	2. Heavy In Your Arms

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#2_**

 **TITLE:** ** _Heavy In Your Arms_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ Heavy In Your Arms, by Florence and the Machine ~_**

 **~M.K~**

It had been one thing after another when Aoko discovered that Kaito was the gentleman thief known as Kaitou Kid. The anger he could deal with; that impending dread that her father would show up on his doorstep with an army of Task Force officers to imprison him; or even the idea that she could snip him out of her life forever.

That latter had come insanely close.

The army never came but Kaito hadn't been willing to take the risk and had whizzed off to stay with Jii. It wasn't as though Aoko had any physical proof anyway. He worked in the bar for the hell of it and helped Jii research any possible jewels that could withhold the elusive Pandora. No phone calls. No emails. No texts. His mother checked in regularly, worried when she heard that he and Aoko had stopped talking. The revelation never ended up in the newspaper, and every encounter he had with Inspector Nakamori made it obviously clear he didn't even know. While it was a relief to accept, it also left him with a heavy heart.

Aoko had gone back to university without a word.

Kaito never let on how much that tormented him.

Four heists had passed before he saw her again, in the most unlikely of places: on the roof of the museum to his latest heist in Osaka. Her father had almost given him a real run, having called in with that Detective of the West for assistance under the ill and absent Kid Killer's recommendation. But to find her here on the roof, alone before her father's arrival, Kaito's entire being had been electrified with alarm and suspicion. There was little time to question her motives for confronting him.

"Good evening, Nakamori-san," he had said courteously, concealing his shock and quietly skirting around her to the shadows. "It's quite an honor to make your acquaintance. However, I fear I am unable to entertain you tonight." He pinched the brim of his top hat. "Or have you arrived to arrest me yourself?"

The disbelieving expression on her face had been unmistakable. She had been hurt by his words. It had slowly dawned on him that he had spoken to her as Kid, charming, aloof, and entirely impersonal. As though they had never been best friends.

"I should," she said forcefully, her hands balled at her sides. "You'd deserve it!"

Kaito ignored the harrowing clench around his heart and laughed softly. It only served to make her angrier.

"Then I suppose our meeting has come to an end," he said, unwilling to tear his eyes away from her shaking form. He took his signature bow and prepared to jump from the ledge. "I would hate to distress you unnecessarily."

Was he that much of a masochist that he would beg for death so carelessly? The distance between them was short, and the moonlight illuminated her features so vividly that his breath shortened. Her hair was tucked into a messy bun, and there was something in her eyes that told him she wasn't sleeping properly. Was it too much to hope that it was her university life that did it, and not worrying about and hating him?

"So that's it? You're just going to walk away?" Her eyes narrowed.

"Fly," he corrected her.

Aoko huffed disbelievingly. "Don't be such an ass, Kaito!" she snapped. "You're always like this, acting as if nothing fazes you! Am I really that much of a joke to you?"

Kaito didn't answer her.

"Don't act like you're some cool guy!" she continued. "You're a thief and a liar and you just—" She stomped her foot in frustration. "—you just disappeared! You disappeared and I couldn't find you anywhere!"

His voice caught in his throat. Frozen on the ledge, the phantom thief was a vision of composure. Beneath the surface, he had found himself on the verge of being swept into a hurricane.

"I wasn't under the impression that you were looking for me, Nakamori-san," he said, shielded by his alter ego's protection. "Perhaps your time would be more wisely spent away from such a chanceful venue."

Aoko's lip trembled. "Kaito, stop that."

"I fear I do not under—" he continued, only to be interrupted her dry sob.

"God, Kaito, it's _me!_ " she exclaimed, full of emotion. "I'm not my father! I'm not an officer! I'm not even one of your fangirls! It's _me!_ Don't talk to me like some random person you just _happened_ to meet!"

Kaito lips parted as his steady heartbeat betrayed him. So ablaze with passion, it was impossible to ignore the effect she had on him. They could have been anywhere, and that fire would drive his senses wild. It was the flip side he could never predict; would he be peeved or spellbound?

"I just… I need to know why."

Kaito felt as though, wherever she was right now, Akako had just stabbed him in the chest with a magical blade. The last thing he wanted to see was the image of Aoko crying. Like an anchor, it weighed him down to her side in seconds. At the risk of being caught by her father, he stood there, a silk handkerchief coming into existence in his hands.

"Go home, Aoko," he said, placing it in her hands. "There's nothing more to say."

Her jaw set bitterly. Without hesitation, one of her fists collided with his chest. Kaito winced as she grabbed a fistful of his jacket and stared up at his shadowy face, half-concealed by the brim of his top hat. He should have moved, run away, jumped off that roof and be done with her. Instead, he stood there, hopelessly watching the tears cascade from her beautiful, infuriated cerulean eyes.

"Kid has stolen countless, priceless gems! My father's time and effort! He even stole the love of the Japanese people! Against their own law enforcement! Now he's stolen my best friend, and he won't even tell me why!"

' _Poker face,_ ' Kaito reminded himself urgently. ' _Don't forget your poker face_.'

Because he had never felt so powerless.

How could he tell her about his search for Pandora without risking her life? This wasn't like his parents! His mother had been a thief long before his father; they had both known the risks better than anyone. Aoko lived in a world where the Organization didn't exist, where she went to university and lived an ordinary life. To drag her into the fray would only cause more harm than good. That sort of secrecy would only weigh her down from living her life to the fullest.

He could never attach himself to her that way. It was more than selfish. It was suicidal.

"I'm afraid that is need-to-know," he said. "And you don't need to know."

He narrowly swerved to avoid the slap in the face that came his way as a result. It was the perfect opportunity to leap back into the ledge, but too late to check for Pandora in his latest haul, a jewel known as Lady's Wonder. The time needed for his exit strategy had narrowed to a dicey minimum.

But it hadn't occurred to him how far Aoko would go to get his attention.

A swift movement from the corner of his eye turned his focus back to Aoko and he felt his heart stop. Merely feet away from him, balanced on wobbly legs, was his best friend on the ledge with him.

" _Ahoko_ , what are you doing?" he demanded, dropping all pretense at her daring.

"Neither of us is leaving without an answer!" she snapped at him, brushing the tears from her face. "You owe me that, you idiot! Why the hell are you Kid, Kaito?!"

He didn't even have the chance to utter a word of reproval when the door to the roof banged open and a stream of Task Force officers poured out with Inspector Nakamori in his energetic flow, that Heiji Hattori right beside him.

Taken aback by their sudden arrival, the two stared in shock as the inspector stumbled to an incredulous halt at the sight of his own daughter standing beside his arch-rival in an extremely precarious place.

" _A-A-AOKO?_ " he yelled disbelievingly. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOUR DOING?"

"Tou-san?" Aoko exclaimed, turning too quickly at the sound of his voice and stumbling on the ledge. With a scream of alarm, Aoko lost her balance and toppled off the side of the building.

His body had gone numb the moment she disappeared from his side. Lost to the sound of the inspector's screams, his legs shot forward as he dove off the ledge and plummeted after her. His entire world had been caught in flames as he willed himself to go faster, closing in on her in seconds and wrapping his arms around her screaming form.

"Hold on!" he cried out, pulling her close to his body and releasing his hang glider from his cape. Aoko yelped as they abruptly swerved with the flow of the wind, out of harm's way and into the night.

"Are you alright?" he demanded, taking a moment to inspect her pallid face. Up close, the circles beneath her fear-filled eyes were prominent. "Aoko, look at me!"

She did more than that. She buried her face into his neck, the warmth of her breath tickling his skin. Her arms had clawed onto him in a desperate hold, shaking so violently that he worried she would faint. He had to get her to the ground as quickly as possible.

Kaito's knowledge of Osaka was limited, but he found himself landing in a deserted park he knew near a trickling stream, cradling the terrified girl in his arms. Perhaps they were both shaking harder than words could describe. Without hesitation, he collapsed on the grass, pulling her onto his lap and holding her as she sobbed, whispering her name into her hair and stroking her back.

"What were you thinking, you silly girl?" he muttered breathlessly, all feeling lost in the blood pulsing through his veins.

Aoko was the one who couldn't answer, and Kaito refused to leave her alone. Entangled in an unmoving heap, they remained together, oblivious to the worries of the world. His cape wrapped them in a cocoon of warmth, engulfing them in each others' scents, the mildness of smoke and roses, and the gentle wisp of lavender.

"I can't lose you, too."

Her words were so soft he almost never heard them. Aoko's eyes were closed, and the side of her face was buried in his chest. Could she hear his frantic heartbeats? Did she know the blinding fear that had pounded through him at the thought of anything terrible happening to her? Did she know that those words were unspoken on his lips as well?

Why was it that the men behind Kaitou Kid always fell in love with headstrong women?

A skilled lady thief and a feisty inspector's daughter. Kuroba magicians had quite the taste. If his father were here, Kaito would ask him what to do about this reckless girl.

But he wasn't. He was gone, by the Organization's hand, and the only way to avenge him was to find and destroy Pandora. Moving carefully as not to disturb her, Kaito retrieved his stolen gem from his pocket and raised the jewel to the moon above.

It glistened beautifully but _Lady's Wonder_ , to no surprise, did not contain Pandora. Not that he cared to hope that it did. His concern was taking Aoko to the hospital. He lowered his hand to tuck the jewel in his pocket, only for Aoko's feeble grip to latch around his wrist and hold him close.

"What are you doing?" she asked weakly, confusion showing clearly in her sleep-deprived eyes. "Why—were you looking at it—like that?"

Kaito sighed to himself. With quick, diligent hands, he removed his cape and shrouded them both, blinding Aoko long enough to remove his garments in favor of plain clothes. Aoko blinked in surprise to see that 'Kid' had disappeared, leaving only Kaito Kuroba in his place. She remained in his lap, watching the only evidence to Kaito's deed: the _Lady's Wonder_ in his hand.

"Aoko, you could have died," he said seriously, almost desperately for her to see the bigger picture. "Regardless of how much you hate me, I won't let that happen to you. If I tell you the truth, I'll lose you. Do you understand that?"

Sniffling, Aoko grabbed onto Kaito's shoulders. "That's my decision to make, Kaito, not yours! I won't stay in the dark if you leave me there. Then you really will lose me."

"I know."

Kaito eyes refused to meet hers. If he was going to burn, he might as well hammer the coffin for the flames. Let her scream at him or slap him, he knew he would survive it. He wouldn't survive being the one to see _her_ name on a tombstone or watch what was left of her burn to ash.

Maybe his poker face had cracked. For the first time that night, she saw right through him.

Aoko awkwardly shifted in his lap, reaching her soft hands to the sides of his face. Kaito was helpless to resist her pull as their eyes found one another; his, a shield to the chaos in his heart, and hers, an open book of resolve. Kaito's words were lost as her lips pressed against his, pulling him forward and clumsily kissing him with every fiber of her being.

It was all it took for her to do the one thing his female audiences desired.

To steal his heart.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **My angst factor may not have eased up since the first chapter, but hey, at least their both alive, right?**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	3. No Light, No Light

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito_** ** _is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#_** ** _3_**

 **TITLE:** ** _No Light, No Light_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ No Light, No Light, by Florence and the Machine ~_**

 **~M** **.** **K~**

Aoko held onto her father's hand as they waited on the doorstep of the Kuroba household. She tugged lightly at one of her messy pigtails, bobbing anxiously on her toes. Finally, the lock clicked and the tall door swung open to reveal the familiar, pretty face of a young woman whose weary eyes blinked in surprise at the sight of the Nakamori family on her doorstep.

"Ginzo-san!" she said. "And Aoko-chan! I didn't know you'd be stopping by."

Ginzo rubbed the back of his head awkwardly. "I could have sworn I called," he muttered with embarrassment. "If it's a bad time—"

"Oh, no, no, it's not," she said, opening the door widely. "Please, come in."

Little Aoko immediately ran into the woman's arms and hugged her as tightly with all the strength she could muster.

"Chikage-obasan!" she said. "It's okay to cry!"

Ginzo's ears turned red. "Eh, Aoko, maybe—"

But Chikage laughed lightly, returning the hug and kissing her forehead. "I see. Thank you, Aoko-chan."

The little girl nodded, her pigtails bouncing.

"We would have been over sooner, but Aoko had an appointment with her the pediatrician…" Ginzo continued while his daughter quietly discarded her shoes and skirted around their legs to the staircase leading to the upper floor. "How's Kaito-kun?

Chikage sighed. "He hasn't spoken too much since the funeral," she said, her eyes misting. "Ginzo-san, he's heartbroken and I don't know what to do…"

Aoko's feet pattered on the wooden floor and she hurried to her destination. It was a familiar route she had grown familiar with over the past few years, but it had been over a week since she had been allowed to visit.

The door to Kaito's bedroom was open. Tiptoeing as quietly as she could, Aoko peeped into the room. Past the toys and the manga books on the ground, she recognized the lone figure sitting at the edge of his bed, staring down at a rectangular object in his hands.

"Kaito-kun," she said, walking up to him with worried eyes.

The boy stared at her blankly. "Oh. Morning, Aoko-chan."

Aoko clasped her hands in a nervous ball near her tummy and took a tentative step forward. Kaito's eyes reverted back to the object in his hands, quietly pulling it apart and snapping it back together again. It didn't take long for her to identify it as one of the many packs of cards that his father used in his performances.

Used to use, anyway…

"What are you doing?" she asked curiously, taking the chance to approach him. He didn't move when she sat down beside him.

"Nothing," he replied shortly. He withdrew a random card from the deck, the King of Spades. He stared at it for a while and then tossed it away. He pulled another, the Seven of Diamonds. It joined the king on the rug. Aoko frowned as he withdrew more cards and discarded them carelessly. Kaito never did that. He loved playing cards.

"Wanna talk about it?" she asked hesitantly.

Kaito shrugged his shoulders. "Nothing to talk about."

Aoko pouted and bent forward to pick up a random card, turning it over to reveal the Ace of Hearts. The edges were crinkled from Kaito's careless grip. With a short sigh, Aoko took up the task of collecting every card he threw until his hands were empty of them and her hands were full.

"Just leave them," Kaito said. "They're not important."

But they were important. Aoko knew that. For as long as she had known him, Kaito had been fascinated with playing cards, sitting on his father's lap and learning to play poker, or watching his father use them for his magic show, or even using them to build towers with his father's help.

With a gentle hand, she tucked the pack in his hand and said, "It's okay to be sad, Kaito-kun. I was sad with Okaa-san died, too. Tou-san said it's okay to cry when your sad and you miss someone you love."

The two little children stared at each other in silence.

Kaito scoffed and turned his head, his eyes concealed beneath his bangs. "Why would I do something like that? I'm not a crybaby like you!"

Aoko's cute pout was blotched by a slight puff in her cheeks. "I'm not a crybaby, you jerk!" she said, miffed. Her hands clenched into fists by her sides until she realized that Kaito's lower lip was trembling.

"I hate him."

Taken aback, Aoko stared at him. "Hate who?"

"Oyaji," Kaito said hoarsely, his hands shaking. "He left us. Me and Kaa-san. He was supposed to be the greatest magician in the world and he failed! _He failed and he left us!_ "

Aoko jumped in alarm at Kaito's sudden yell. Her heart stammered with fear; she had never seen that sort of anger in Kaito before. Not ever. His bright blue eyes glared at the playing cards so fiercely that she was amazed that they did not burst into flames in his hands. There was none of his usual light on his face and that scared her. Aoko had never been scared of Kaito before.

"Kaito-kun," she said weakly.

But Kaito didn't listen. With a cry of frustration, Kaito threw the entire deck of cards on the ground, scattering them in all directions. Aoko stumbled backward as he stood up and began stomping on them with all his little might.

"I hate him!" he cried, snatching up the nearest ones and ripping them to pieces. "I hate him! I hate him!"

Tears welled in Aoko's eyes as she watched her friend's fury. "Kaito-kun, stop it!" she wailed, so loudly that in harmony with his tantrum, their parents heard them from downstairs. "Kaito-kun, stop it! You're scaring me!"

"I don't care!" Kaito yelled at her. His wavering voice broken as his eyes began to glisten. "Leave me alone!"

"Kaito-kun!" Aoko exclaimed as the boy kept tearing the cards to shreds and crying out inaudibly. "Kaito-kun, stop! _Kaito!_ "

Without thinking about it, Aoko bounded forward, wrapping her little arms around Kaito's shoulders. Taken aback by her sudden gesture, Kaito fell silent, bright eyes staring over her shoulder at the portrait beside his bed, the only thing he had refused to watch since the funeral.

His father's portrait, a colorful display of Toichi Kuroba in the midst of a magical performance, as lifelike as a portrait could be.

"Oyaji," Kaito whispered, his throat constricting and his eyes welling with tears. " _Oyaji!_ "

Aoko found herself sobbing quietly as Kaito wept for his father who would never return, like her mother. They had gone somewhere far away and they wouldn't come back. Kaito's body shook, his tears seeping into the fabric of her dress. His arms hung limply at his side, empty of the remaining cards scattered around their feet.

Kaito's tears slowly subsided as his watery eyes peered up once more at his father's portrait, ever cool and composed. Why did he have to leave? Why did something have to go wrong? Nothing ever went wrong for his father before. He had too many questions on his lips and not enough answers to quell the hurt.

' _What do I do, Oyaji?_ ' he lamented to himself. What would his father have said to him to make everything better?

 ** _Kaito, always remember your poker face_** **.**

In a heartbeat, the tears stopped, the sound of his father's voice echoing in his ears. He had forgotten his poker face, one of the many lessons his father had taught him when playing card games. Kaito pulled away from Aoko and numbly stared down at the ruined deck of cards on the floor. He had lost control of his poker face; that was not something Kuroba men did. Shame welled up inside him.

"Sorry, Aoko," he said, clumsily wiping the wetness off his face and bending down to pick up the torn cards, determinedly avoiding her gaze. "That never happened."

Aoko sniffled and knelt down to help him. "It's okay to cry sometimes, Kaito," she said waveringly.

Neither of them had noticed the slip of the tongue address, a habit they would cultivate for another decade, or the arrival of their startled parents in the doorway. Unbeknownst to Aoko, and in eventual hindsight to Kaito, that very memory had turned into the pivotal moment in which he knew he could never cry again. Especially in front of her.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **I think in grief, anyone can be a little OOC, and I might have garnered a bit of inspiration from a tearful boy from one of my favorite Korean dramas. Kaito's reaction is sort of a reflection of that.**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	4. Wonder

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#_** ** _4_**

 **TITLE:** ** _Wonder_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ Wonder, by Lauren Aquilina ~_**

 **~M.K~**

Lying there, enveloped in the warmth of her plush bedspread, she gazed at the misty light slowly illuminating the unassuming world beyond her open window. Her body yearned to be still. She huddled beneath her bedding to evade the chilly draft ticking her smooth skin, and all the while, her cerulean eyes glistened wonderingly at the memory of the early morning shower in the dead of night. Her window had been shut until he had appeared to see her, soaked to the core, and cloaked in the forbidden ivory form of a man she should have loathed.

Accepting the truth about his other life had been hell these few weeks.

Accepting that his reasons were noble, despite his actions, was jarring.

Accepting that she loved him spite of it was excruciating.

She wondered if, in another life, she would have rejected his confessions and gone to her father with every shred of evidence she possessed? A respectable daughter would have done so to end the tedious life of deception. Was she considered to be a respectable daughter anymore for encouraging the lies around her? Deep down, she was sure she did not want to hear the answer.

Beside her, sweet and unassuming, was a snowy white rose on her pillow where his unruly head had been. His gift to her before he departed once the shower had ended. She counted herself fortunate that her father had not returned home in the night, or else someone's life would have been lost. Her fingers skimmed across the delicate softness of the petals. Her body shivered at the memory washing over her.

On the balcony he had stood, radiating a charming yet frightful elegance in that ivory suit with that scarlet stain bleeding along his side from the rain. A grazing wound of a bullet. He had dismissed its importance. She had been scandalized and horrified. Yet, she had understood too little of just how at her mercy he had truly been, and his efforts to evade her touch had been nonexistent. No one looking toward the window would have witnessed her forcefulness in removing his upper layers to treat the bleeding wound grazing along his toned skin.

Only he had seen the tears she shed as her fingers trembled to care for him.

Only he could have held her close, his scent overwhelming of smoke, rain, and something so distinctly his own that it had no name.

Only he could have pressed his smooth lips to hers to silence her tearful words.

She wondered if, in another life, their feelings would not be a secret to the world, a taboo of which they should never speak. Where she would not have to hide her yearning for him or worry for him day and night. Where she would not have to be so careful as not to hurt him when his hands, ever so tenderly, reached for her in ways she would never let another man dare.

Every inch of her ached of his touch, of the ghost he had left behind for her to feel. From his hands to his lips, she shuddered with yearning at the memory of his sweet advances, lost in pleasure over pain as if the world had been lost to the both of them.

He had laid beside her, his hot skin pressed against hers, with that rose held in his hand, teasing along her jaw and her neck, his hot breath in her ear. She willed him to stay with her through the night, her own hands tracing the curves and slopes of his face, sinking into the smooth crevices of his back, lost in the feeling of them together, so strongly that nothing else mattered.

She missed his touch when he had left.

She missed the feeling of his heartbeat as he held her close to his chest.

She missed those moments of seeing him, truly seeing him, without his barriers and facades to protect him.

Sunlight soon found her hiding figure, bathing her with warmth and calling her from wondering of their forbidden desires. The rose comforted her. It served to remind her of his presence, of his scent on her skin, of his love seeping into her flesh. It served to remind her that she had kept his secret, a secret resulting in her entrapment between what was right and what she wanted. They could not coexist. She wondered if they would last.

But what else had she expected? He had stolen her heart and her love. Deep down, she was sure that she never wanted them back.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **Happy Valentine's Day! Here's a short drabble for you all this time of year. Personally, I'd prefer chocolate.**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	5. Numb

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_** ** _(featuring Akako Koizumi)_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#5_**

 **TITLE:** ** _Numb_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ Numb, by Marina and the Diamonds ~_**

 **~M.K~**

Granted that this should have been my soaring success, but for lack of better words, this was unsatisfying. In short, it was almost as though my endeavors were wasted on a fool's errand to fulfill my greatest desire. Perhaps the nature of my victory spoiled my mood as we boarded the plane together. The male attendant's reaction to my arrival was the genuine response I wanted from Kuroba, a desire to adhere to my needs, but all that fool could muster was a glance in my direction as we took our seats in First Class. To the inferior mind, my glamour to his features was flawless. No one would have been the wiser of his identity.

"What is it now, Akako?" he asked. "You're sulking."

My breath stilled under his unreadable gaze and had I known otherwise, they could have been indigo. There was nothing there to suggest that his concern was of interest, just a simple inquiry with a hint of an altercation.

"Hmm? Now, now, Kuroba-kun, that's no way to speak to your lady, is it?"

Kuroba's sigh was smooth and deep, irrevocably bored as he perched his chin on his palm and gazed out at the night sky. That would not do. I reached out and curled my fingers along his smooth, chiseled jawline, angling his face toward mine until our lips were pressed together. I felt a twinge beneath my touch, a minuscule movement that he had clamped down his jaw down. For all the softness of his lips or the warmth of his breath, I was annoyed by it.

I pulled back. "Like you _mean_ it."

To his favor, I never saw the annoyance on his face.

His nimble hands were gentle along my cheekbone, feather-light to the point that I could not help but tremble. His mouth was an unexpected taste of spearmint and chocolate, parted in possessive movements that left me breathless. My heart fluttered and in that moment, I really did believe he meant it. That was... until he ended it and I caught sight of that flicker of disappointment and regret as he turned away.

He had thought of _her_ again to convince me of his faithfulness.

I ignored that abhorrent hollowness that caved in my chest. Eventually, he would stop such ridiculous notions and settle into his new life with me. Could he not see that her memory brought him more pain than pleasure?

"Akako, must I remind you of the terms of our deal?" he asked calmly.

I huffed. "How could I forget, Kuroba-kun? We drafted it together."

Our deal was mutually beneficial toward our own personal goals. The results were just as I wanted: for Kuroba to remain at my side and be in my possession forever. And what was my trade in this bargain? Magical aid for him to accomplish something that his mortal talents could never achieve without me: destroying the legendary and powerful Pandora, a jewel with the power to grant immortality. It was a mystical item forged from cosmic power, and as such, only the supernatural forces could have an impact on its destruction. Naturally, my instincts sought against such an act and instead yearned to seize that power for my own, but Kuroba, damn him, was too clever to dismiss such an idea rising to my mind. He had worded his end of the deal so carefully that I was still searching for a loophole.

With my help, he would destroy Pandora without a trace left to its name. In return, he would never leave me in spite of his immunity to my power. Should either of us break our bond to this oath, we would suffer in hell for all eternity until there was nothing left of our existence. As the only one of us capable of wielding true magic, I was also the only one who could release him from his bond to me, but why would I do something like that?

"I'm only yours forever once Pandora is gone," he reminded me. "Until then, don't expect spontaneous kisses."

I rolled my eyes. "Only ones I demand, then."

He said nothing as we waited for our flight to depart for the United Kingdom. His silence marked his ability to annoy me with absolutely nothing, though I amused myself in gathering the attention of the pilot as he passed to speak with a stewardess and promptly bumped into another passenger behind us. But we both knew that was the cause of his indifference, and it wasn't his dislike of me. In fact, as of late, we had become something akin to unhostile allies over unwilling acquaintances, and he had shown signs that he at least cared about my well-being.

The problem lied with _that girl_ of all people, Aoko Nakamori.

How was I to fathom his persistent infatuation with such a childish, temperamental woman? Childhood friends aside, there was no reasonable inclination that such a hopeless disposition would even benefit his future. She had an imprudent habit of endangering her life and distracting him from his work, and her intense hatred for his phantom persona had wedged a divide between them. Wasn't I the one with the advantage of knowing and accepting his secrets? Could she ever afford him the same pardon?

"Your heart will be your downfall," I reminded him. "Do not forget that."

He tapped his fingers against the side of his face. "Yeah, whatever."

"And besides, she already told you she wanted nothing more to do with you," I continued, watching carefully to see his reaction. "After finding out who you are. If it weren't for me and my talents, they would have stopped you at the checkpoint. Had they been looking, anyway."

Kuroba sighed. "Gloating is beneath you, Akako. As far as Aoko is concerned, I'm dead and gone. She didn't even attend the funeral Jii-chan and Kaa-san arranged to seal the deal. I've already thanked you for faking my death. It's too late to apologize to her for being Kid or breaking our engagement. I'm not stupid."

' _No, but he is upset_ ,' a little voice nagged.

' _Quiet_ ,' I thought back, annoyed. It remained silent.

Truly, it was incessant, catching sight of that glimmer bursting to life in his eyes at the mention of her name, pain and all. I should have been above being resentful that he never looked that way for me. In time, he would, but I was impatient. I had offered to make his burden easier after the contract had been sealed. She weighed him down from his potential. But Kuroba, with such foolish optimism, refused my offer to remove her from his memories. Such an act would strengthen my sway over him, surely.

But the man chose to remember her. He ate his heart out with her repulsion and fury of his perceived betrayal. Her loss was my gain. Every passing day solidified the truth of her rejection, and he refused to relinquish his memory of her. I retrieved my compact from my carry-on and gazed at my reflection. Nakamori was nowhere near my level of perfection; why was Kuroba so enamored with her?

" _That's_ what's bothering you, isn't it? _Tsk_."

I froze against my better judgment. Kuroba's expression had broken from its mysteriousness to laugh at me.

"And what is _that,_ exactly?" I inquired, mildly annoyed.

"Akako, you have a long way to go to understand what it is to be in love," he said calmly. "Beauty, charm, and power can't guarantee it. Demanding it won't make it real. It's unpredictable. It's its own form of magic that even you can't control."

He smirked at what must have been disbelief on my face.

"These men you control don't love you," he continued. "They only _think_ they do. Maybe if you looked closer, you'd realize it. Why do you think Kudo-kun and Hattori-kun can shake off your enchantments? Because they have two women whom they love and you can't change it. Same with me and Aoko. Once you find that someone, they're a part you forever. The good and the bad. No one can steal that away."

I rolled my eyes. "You're being an uncharacteristically sentimental fool. I would have thought it beneath you to have such a naive view. A man hellbent on vengeance has no place in preaching the meaning of love to me."

Kuroba clucked his tongue softly, diverting his eerie gaze toward the night sky. "Maybe you're right. My success rate has been questionable. But answer me this, my Lady: you are adored for your beauty, but are you adored for your heart? For your integrity, compassion, and determination? Do people see what you want them to see or who you truly are? What is shown the greater respect? You or an illusion?"

An oddly painful lump had begun to form in my chest. What was he implying? That I wasn't good enough? It was a tempting thought to hex him there and then.

"You wonder why I love Aoko? It's simple." He closed his eyes and leaned back in his seat. "She's not deceptive like you and me. She believes in truth and justice. Having her in my life is worth more than every gem I've ever stolen. Even if the memory of her is all I can keep, I'll treasure it. She's the reason I want this to end."

He opened his eyes and stared at me.

"Call me vengeful, but I do this for her as much as I do it for Oyaji. I don't care if it destroys me. Once she's safe, that's all that matters."

My hands tightened into fists. My chest began to restrict as jealousy began to blossom.

"Don't martyrize yourself, Kuroba-kun. It doesn't suit you."

"It's not martyrization if it's the truth. I've always been my strongest when loving her. So, I can spend my life with you. But don't you dare imagine that I would ever choose to forget her."

With those final words, he fell into silence as our plane prepared for departure.

I cannot say my thoughts remained composed. In spite of our complex relationship, his assertiveness toward success had been a turning point that had united us. Yet, it was also the cause of our division. I loathed the thought that this implicated an inevitably pointless future between us.

Against my best judgments, I learned to accept that Kuroba Kaito was destined to immunity of my magic, regardless of my ever growing success in cultivating my powers. But the contract demanded that he destroy Pandora and be mine forever. If his ridiculous love for her strengthened his disposition, then what would happen if I ever did remove her from his heart? Undoubtedly, his sentimentality will be his undoing. Would this heart-sick fool cease his vengeance and become completely useless to me?

Irrevocably, I considered the truth of his declarations and it left a bitter taste in my mouth. His choice to stay with me was born from necessity, not desire. To be mine forever in body and not in heart and soul was proof that in the wake of my victory… I had already lost to Nakamori Aoko.

The fury was numbing.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **Have you read those stories where Kaito finds and destroys Pandora, sometimes with a gun or a hammer? Somehow, that seems far too easy. For something with supernatural properties to grant its user immortality, it would make sense that something (or in his fic's case, ' _someone_ ') with supernatural abilities would have the power to destroy it. That's where this idea came from, and how far Kaito might actually go to destroy Pandora, especially where Akako is concerned.**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	6. Hot and Cold

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#6_**

 **TITLE:** ** _Hot and Cold_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ Hot n Cold, by Katy Perry ~_**

 **~M.K~**

Fighting was synonymous with dancing for two Ekoda students at the back of Class 2-B. The spectacle was a weekly routine that presented an embarrassing surge of entertainment to a tedious day of schoolwork. It was vastly impossible to ignore the fluidity of their curious dance of ' _Whac-A-Magician: Mop-Edition_ '.

Kaito and Aoko had never rehearsed their mop-equipped argument, yet every vicious turn Aoko's lashes offered was quickly surpassed by Kaito's athleticism and agility. She rarely hit him and he was rarely caught, but their unpredictability meshed together in a single certainty that anyone could measure. They knew one another and were too alike to ever truly cause the other harm.

There was no denying that Aoko was motivated by her vexation with her best friend just as much as his delight was bolstered by her fiery temperament. What truly defined their 'dance' was their determination to outmatch the other in a war of brains as much brawn. Their resolution was a puzzling case, transforming from fiery whirlwinds to their regular demeanor as though such acts were irrelevant. Such a temperament had flourished between them since the day they had met.

These were simpler times when they were completely and bizarrely in sync, forged by an unbreakable bond that no one could explain.

 **~M.K~**

Upon the return of Kaitou Kid to the world, something had gone amiss between them. Quite often, they were seen bickering on their journey home, passing through stores, and even going on trips as dictated by their customary repertoire. But in the passing days, those escapades grew less and less. Wary were those of the darkening circles beneath their eyes, one of worry, another of secrecy.

The tense vigor born between their friendly competition had somewhat soured. Aoko's disdain for the elusive criminal was rivaled by Kaito's veneration of his accomplishments. Days upon weeks of their disagreements had slowly shrouded them in resentment, and in time, they found themselves drifting toward new interests that opened fewer opportunities for the other's presence. They had shown signs of focusing their energy on anything but each other.

It became worrisome when their synchronicity did not align, tossing their world into unbalance.

 **~M.K~** **  
**

Yet, every time she thought they had lost their grip, he always returned with a blazing wonder to enthrall her world. Neither of them was oblivious to their new situation or the growing tension that had slowly built a fragile wall between them. But that was hardly considered a deterrent. Though their dances had appeared ever so often, it was the customary wonders of Kaito's genius that magnetized their bond.

Tears of sorrow transformed to tears of mirth in a heartbeat. Nimble hands and swift tricks found ways to take her breath away, ever since the moment they met as children. Resentful pouts curved into awed smiles, and there was always one certainty that they both knew and accepted as truth.

Their dances were never solo. From bickering to jesting, their spirals never departed long before they were thrown back together, from blows to tickles. From the nights of fireworks lighting the sky to simple ice-creams under the golden sun, Aoko knew for certain that Kaito had a real gift.

He could make her laugh at anything.

 **~M.K~** **  
**

But she never thought his secrets would lead to this icy dread between them. It slowly dawned on her that his excuses for his absences, at times, either too frequent or too inconsistent. There was something unusual about the way he moved some days, as though his body and mind were lethargic or stiff. He almost never spaced out when she spoke with him, but there were too many gaps for her to fill when his deep, endless thoughts consumed him. In time, her investigative instincts took hold and forced her to examine him closely.

On the day Kid had been shot to protect her father and Kaito shared the wound, their fanciful reality had been irrevocably shattered.

Where the laughter ended, the screaming began. And the screaming was something that Kaito preferred over the turbulent silence that followed in Aoko's wake once she walked out of his door. The lingering uncertainty that his game of smoke and mirrors had unleashed a monster worse than his adversaries was bolstered by her refusal to acknowledge his existence.

Their nights were an endless void of uncertainty. She never spoke of his secret to the world but it did little to appease the hurt that had settled in their chests. Whispers followed their new-found status as less than acquaintances.

Their heated dances no longer filled the boring restlessness that lingered from day to day, the cold reality born from a truth beyond expectations.

 **~M.K~**

Time never stopped to offer them reconciliation, but eventually, absence brought more sorrows than fondness. Day after day crawled passed and evidently, the chasm forged between them demanded their attention. They were both far too stubborn and resilient to confess that the truth was the driving factor that had thrown their world into chaos. Would retaining deceit have made those problems any better? No, they decided, it wouldn't have; it would have only built a higher building from which to jump.

But Aoko caught those piercing glances from his side of the classroom, imploring for her attention and company. Some nights, she thought she saw him perched on her balcony, clothed in that dastardly white getup and wondered if it was only a dream. Sometimes, she found herself cooking for three when it was only herself and her father at the table, and the leftovers had a habit of disappearing. She hadn't spoken a word of it to him; she let herself assume it was her father's overworked appetite at play.

And Kaito caught her staring at his house every day, before and after school. Her laughter lacked its gleeful pizzazz, and her cerulean eyes just wouldn't glitter as his memory had served. Her father worried to the point that even Kid had to remark upon his distraction, biting back the guilt that it was he who had caused distress for both father and daughter, a bizarre not-so-exosystem in their lives. More than missing her in his audience, he yearned for her smile to brighten his day, for her optimism to challenge his cynicism, and for her effortless ability to keep him on his toes, always inspiring him.

Yet neither were willing to face the other. They danced around one another, two magnets refusing to merge. The truth had divided them. Refusal to accept change had broken their dance.

 **~M.K~**

Yet traditions went unerased, a cluster of habits could neither be forgotten or rejected. Was it plausible to say that it was their humanity that forged ahead to revive balance to the universe?

It had not gone amiss for anyone to witness Aoko's continued protestation at Kid's heists, broadcasting her encouragement for her father's success to anyone who would listen. The elusive thief succeeded in his subsequent flights of departure, a jewel in hand and poker face intact.

Yet neither would speak of the lingering ease that this secret remained disclosed between them alone, of Kaito's safe return every night.

Kaito's academic rivalry with Aoko continued to dazzle their somewhat confounded professors, all witness to the antics born from the estranged duo. Aoko's eyes gleamed with pure vexation at the playing cards flicked across the room from his nimble hands, and no one commented on the paper balls chucked at his head in retaliation.

If it bothered anyone that Aoko's bag randomly exploded with confetti, it was never disclosed.

A desire to indulge in delightful, luscious desserts never went amiss when her beloved brand of chocolates magically appeared in the fridge, more frequently as of late. In return, perhaps the supper leftovers deviated from her traditional preferences to his, and she understood that her father was developing a strong suspicion toward the lot of them.

But the silence proceeded to disguise any yearning they had to transcend the morose chasm burrowed them.

She found herself enraptured in sleepless nights when bullets rained on his heist with lethal force, marking the presence of cruel men shrouded in shadows. Her resistance gradually crumbled at the sight of his dim pallor, at his struggles to maintain wakefulness in lectures and the stiffness of his arms and his torso. In the moments he ultimately drifted off into a restless sleep, he imagined the gentleness of her touch through the dark mess he called hair.

When he woke up alone in his home, wounds cleaned and bandages renewed, he caught the scent of her perfume on his pillow and a bowl of soup in his fridge.

Upon dismissal, her solitary journey home faired well, accompanied only by the warm evening air and the distant chatter of the world. Yet it hadn't escaped her notice that his hesitant form lingered in the background, tracing her footsteps until he returned to his residence, satisfied she was secure in her own home. And perhaps the day came, after turbulent hours of restless showers, she lost her balance on the slippery, uneven ground and fell, squealing from the abrupt pain flaring up her leg. As if summoned by her distress, the pounding tempo of his feet echoed in her ears. Perhaps he disregarded her protests and hoisted her on his back as he did in their childhood days and carried her home.

She confessed to no one but her heart that his scent was soothing, that his warmth gave her ease, and his nearness comforted the tension in her chest.

 **~M.K~**

A fragment of her had forever embedded itself in his soul and he comprehended it now more than ever. He'd danced around her long enough.

Through bitter tears and tempered words, the silence was irrevocably broken; and it came to mind that they both deserved their shame as they sought the common ground they had always known. What claims did they have of what was right and wrong when it came to one another? Where was the certainty that their departure would never haunt them to the end of their days? Where was the mop so deserving of kissing his unkempt head when he pinched her cheeks and declared them both as lunatics?

Perhaps they truly were just so, a whirlwind of emotions opposing one another until the improbable merged into something enchanting. Headstrong and childish and irrevocably flawed, they were too alike to truly wish the absence of the other in their life forever. He embraced her temper when she tended to his wounds late at night. She sank into his assured composure when tensions ran high. Their class sought safety when their defiant dance returned in full swing, shattering the peace they had come to enjoy.

 _May the gods have mercy on the world_ , they thought. Contrastive and likewise, they made no sense, fighting _with_ one another, fighting _for_ one another, and _never_ backing down, but it was just who they were, always and forever.

His passionate girl brimming with tenacity and her boy as cold and sweet as ice-cream.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **This should have been up yesterday, but I was so tired I forgot. Sorry about that. I started out with one idea of where this should go and then it deviated so far that I'm now wondering if it even makes sense anymore. Let me know because I sure got carried away.**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	7. What Kind of Man

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama_** **.**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#7_**

 **TITLE:** ** _What Kind of Man_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ What Kind of Man, by Florence and the Machine ~_**

 **~M.K~**

 _"You're a holy fool, all colored blue. Red feet upon the floor. You do such damage. How do you manage to have me crawling back for more?"_

The words cycled in her head as she stood in the last place she wanted to be. What was it about music that always triggered something unpleasant? Somehow, she had brought herself to the one place she knew would cause her more heartache from a cover song on the radio, a translation of a Western track that spoke to her in ways she didn't expect. Absent from her ears, it still resounded in memory, slowly drowned by the downpour above. Frozen in the rain, she faced Kaito's darkened house with a foolish stubbornness, almost relishing in the icy water soaking through every crevice of her being. From the pavement, she gripped her trembling fingers tightly to the iron gate.

Numb to the bone, Aoko found herself unlatching the gate and stumbling up to the front door. In her earlier rounds of disbelief and rage, it had been a miracle that she hadn't disposed of her key to his house. Now that she stood in the darkness of the open hallway, a part of her was grateful that she hadn't bothered. Judging from the absence of warmth in the Kuroba household, Kaito had yet to return home. Piece by piece, she removed her gloves and shoes and discarded her sopping jacket on the rack. She didn't care if she made a mess. Did he really deserve her consideration anymore?

There was no one to answer her.

She rubbed her hand over her weather-chilled arms whilst ascending the staircase to the upper floor. Was it her imagination, or was it colder up here? Alarm flared through her body as a flash of lightning burst through the evening sky, illuminating her path to a familiar and dreaded bedroom she had known since childhood. Kaito had left his door wide open.

Nothing had changed since her last visit a month ago. The irritating boy had left books and papers strewn on his desk and his bed was unmade. The lingering scent that engulfed her was something that only Kaito could exude, clear enough that it pinched her heart with his bizarre sweetness.

Yet she breathed in deeply instead of turning away in disgust.

It had never been in the books to ever enter this house again. This was the last time she let a moment of pure stupidity compromise her judgment.

How was it even possible that her childhood best friend, a seventeen-year-old high school student, was an internationally notorious phantom thief renown for his public, magical performances in front of cheering audiences whilst stealing precious gems and humiliating an entire Task Force of police officers headed by her own father for the entire world to see?

Aoko had no idea where to start figuring out what it all meant. Her charade with Kaito was ironic enough to fit a multitude of fictions she never anticipated.

What did Kaito expect of her now that she knew the truth about him? He had gone to his heist as scheduled; he hadn't sent a cancellation notice. Either he had taken the risk that she had told her father or he believed that she had withheld the truth. No, he had to believe she had revealed his alter ego because that was the most reasonable assumption, especially after the horrible events of _that night_.

Sitting on the edge of Kaito's bed, staring at the tremors of her icy hands, Aoko couldn't help but wonder…

Why hadn't she told anyone the truth? She had discovered the identity of Kaitou Kid. Hakuba had been right all along. Her father's earliest suspicion's when Kid returned had been right. Kaito Kuroba… was Kaitou Kid.

A dry sob escaped her lips.

She had known Kaito since she was a child. He was her best and closest friend. Of course, he could be completely obtuse, falling asleep in class, flipping her skirts and peeping into the girl's locker room, always practicing his magic tricks, and doing everything at his own leisure. The Kaito she thought she knew could be a jerk, but he had always there when she needed him. Always making her tears go away. Always bringing a smile to her face.

He must have had so much fun playing with her heart.

In the end, he was the one who made her cry. He was the one who made her scream. Disappearing whenever he wanted and almost always forgetting to say thank you when she put him before herself. She looked after him more than his own mother. And all this time he was stealing precious gems and playing her father for a fool?

Where was the correlation? Kid was a gentleman thief who was always polite, quick-witted and charming, and capable of disguising himself as anyone he wanted. He existed long before Kaito was even born! Growling with frustration, Aoko stood on knobbly knees and marched out of the room before she could break something.

Returning to the ground floor, Aoko went straight to the television and turned it on, flicking the channels until she found the one she was looking for. The sound of cheering poked her hard in the gut.

" _...just moments ago!_ " said the reporter from the live stream to Kid's current battle against Adviser Jirokichi Suzuki. " _It's just in! Kaitou Kid has successfully taken the Serpentine Scorpion from the Suzuki Corporation's newly improved unbreakable vault!_ "

Aoko dropped the remote on the seat beside her. She wasn't even surprised. Of course, Kid would steal a gem supposedly impossible to steal. Again. She could hear the commotion from the live stream, of Kid's adoring fans cheering his name as he once again humiliated her father and the entire Anti-Kid Task Force. This time, the Sleeping Kogoro and the Kid Killer had been too ill to attend, so they had been absent from the event, even though their presences would have been crucial to defusing the worse potential chaos Aoko could have imagined. Well, perhaps Mouri would have; she would never dream of putting that little Edogawa boy in such danger.

Minutes later, the reporter and the crowd were whipped into the frenzy when they saw Kid's signature white hang glider take off from the building's roof, unaffected by lighter showers in the area. Whether it was a decoy or actually Kid, Aoko didn't care anymore. She switched off the television and collapsed onto her side on the couch, her entire body indifferent to the misery in her heart.

"Why?" she sobbed softly. "Kaito, you idiot…"

Aoko didn't know how long she lay there, but it had been long enough to fall asleep.

 **~M.K~**

Her distant dreams were a whirlwind of rain and bloodstains. The renewed pattering of rain splashed against the windows as the world around her called for her attention out of dreamland. Her whole body felt heavy and the temptation to simply drift off was strong. She cracked an eye open, just to check for the time. A moment later, it dawned on her that she wasn't enraptured in the warmth and comfort of her own bedroom. The portrait of Toichi Kuroba hung near the foot of the bed, a centerpiece belonging to Kaito's bedroom. In alarm, Aoko realized that she was in _Kaito's_ bed, bundled in his warm sheets and clearly in a daze as the memories returned, from her arrival to his house to falling asleep in his living room.

Aoko sat up quickly, the sheets dropping for her to realize that her soaking clothes were gone. Was this one of Kaito's shirts? It was loose and baggy and fell midway on her thighs. Aoko's heart stuttered when she realized that her skirt was missing, along with her leggings. All she wore was a pair of undies and Kaito's shirt.

How…?

"You're awake. Good. The snoring was grinding on my nerves."

Frozen like a deer in headlights, Aoko's startled eyes fell on the lean, shadowy outline of a young man lounging in the chair beside his desk. Partially illuminated by the light from his laptop, he was as unreadable as ever, clad in plain clothes instead of a gleaming white suit. She hadn't expected the strained silence between them.

Aoko held her breath, her heart stammering guiltily. She pointedly glared at the sheets covering her from the waist down, blushing when she realized that there was only one person who could have brought her here and possibly compromised her honor.

"Where are my clothes?" she asked curtly. "You didn't see anything, did you, you jerk?"

Kaito scoffed and swiveled in his chair. "Why are asking something like that? There wouldn't have been anything to see, anyway." Aoko felt her face burn bright, muttering curses under her breath. "I put your clothes to dry. What were you thinking, just falling asleep like that? What, you _want_ to get sick?"

Aoko huffed and turned her head, twice as irritated now. "And all of a sudden you care about my well-being? What game are you playing at, Kaito?"

What had she expected to see? Remorse? Amusement? Anger? It wasn't as though she never saw any emotions in him but she at least expected some sort of reaction. Instead, he simply sat there, watching her as easily as one would glance at a blank wall, unreadable and entirely unhelpful.

"You didn't tell him?" Kaito said tonelessly.

 _That_ was what he was concerned about? Yes, of course, it was; his entire life depended on it. Aoko couldn't help herself; she grabbed the pillow and chucked it at his head, yelling, "Maybe I should if it stops you from ruining your life!"

He tilted to the side and the pillow flew passed him without a millimeter of contact.

"Eeh…? Is that why you came here?" he continued. "Conducting an intervention, are we? Or is it an interrogation?"

How could he be so nonchalant? How could he just sit there and act as though this wasn't a big deal like they were discussing the outline for their next math exam? He couldn't be oblivious to the fury coursing through her right now, could he? To the pain that ached because of his betrayal…

"What happened to you, Kaito?" she demanded, her voice quavering from the ache in her throat. "Why would you do something like this?" He didn't answer her. "Why would ever become Kaitou Kid? I want to know!"

Kaito leaned back in his chair. "An interrogation it is, then. _Tck_."

He looked so bored. What was going on in that head of his? Did he not remember what happened? Because she certainly did! It was a memory that she couldn't exactly purge into the dark recesses of her mind. Without hesitation, Aoko threw off the sheet and marched over to his side, not entirely surprised that he had instantaneously moved behind the chair with quick grace. She had nothing but her hands to hit him with but wasn't sure she had the strength.

"I don't care what you call it, you jackass!" she screamed at him. "Are you trying to get yourself killed? Answer me!"

His silence was filled with the sound of rain. His expression was void, as smooth as a stone statue, handsome, chiseled, and cold. Kaito's 'poker faces' always held some glimmer of life, never betraying his thoughts, but clear enough to show some sort of humanity. This… it was as though she was invisible to him, unnecessary to notice or sympathize with. She couldn't describe how much that hurt.

She held his steady gaze. Those sapphire eyes lacked the light she had always known of him. Was this really Kaito? Having had enough of his charade, Aoko's right hand lashed out and grasped around his left bicep as tightly as she could and the left hand pressed against his chest, all the while she kept her eyes on his face.

The corner of his mouth twinged, almost too light to notice, but she had.

"They still hurt you, don't they?" she guessed bitterly as he skillfully slipped out of her reach and slicked closer to the shadows. "You probably didn't even go to the hospital for treatment, did you?" Not a word of response came from him. "Damn it, Kaito, why won't you just talk to me?!"

"Because you're wasting your time," he replied shortly. "Nothing I say can change what's happened, _moron_."

Aoko's breath shortened. "Don't be stupid! I remember what happened that night, Kaito! I saw those men shoot at you! If I hadn't dragged you out of there, what would have happened then?!"

The tension between them shifted.

Far be it for Aoko to interfere with capturing Kid, but she had taken a chance to get close to him. He had taken his heist performance outdoors to entertain his audience, a distinctive show where an optical illusion made it near impossible to identify the real Kid from seven other remnants. How it had been accomplished, Aoko never found out because of the attack on the venue. An entire audience in terrified chaos when the bullets rained from all angles and even threw the Task Force into an uproar.

The media still aired the news as the only bloody event to feature the phantom thief, even though it had been a month ago.

From eyes to cameras, everyone had eventually laid witness to Kid protecting innocent bystanders and revealing the gunmen that dared to attack. He'd been shot in the process who knew how many times, but he had gone on long enough to run, and whoever had started the attack had followed. People had been injured, but thankfully, no one had been killed. Though the crowds had lessened since that day, there had been something about his bravery and defense that had endeared him to his audience more than before.

Even Aoko's father, Inspector Nakamori, commended him for his actions.

Aoko had been in the audience to support her father, but in the fray, she had almost been crushed in the crowd and had barely squeezed herself into the sanctuary that was a smelly, dank alleyway. And it had been there that she had seen the white-clad figure hunched over on the ground, half-hidden in shadows and gasping for breath. For a dim second, she thought it was one of his panicked cosplayers, but when she got closer, she saw the blood staining the white fabric.

It had all gone downhill from there.

And for one entire month, Aoko hadn't seen heads or tails of Kaito.

There had been no heists, but Kid had sent gifts to victims in the local hospitals and declared a ceasefire with the police until the matter could be resolved. But it hadn't been. Aoko had heard bits and pieces of the investigation on the news, or from what little tidbits she could wheedle out of her father. It was an unsolved, ongoing case. Every day she was confronted by the question: should she tell him? Should she tell her father what she knew?

That's when she realized that she really didn't know anything. She needed to _understand_ why.

"You came back knowing they could have been there!" Aoko said accusingly. "Whoever they were, they could have attacked you again!"

"That old man Suzuki wouldn't have allowed it," Kaito replied. "He's not the kind of person to challenge Kid without setting the appropriate safeguards in place. And nothing happened. No one got hurt."

"And that just makes it okay?" Aoko snapped. "What the hell's wrong with you? Don't you care if something goes wrong? Don't you care if you die?"

Kaito huffed.

"Why does it matter?" he asked quietly.

Then what came out of his mouth shocked Aoko so badly that she stumbled backward and tumbled onto his bed again.

"' ** _Leave me alone, Bakaito! You stay away from me! I hate you! I don't care what you say! You're a criminal and a liar and if you ever speak to me again I still make you regret ever being born! Don't come near me ever again! I hate you! I fucking hate you!_** '" He paused. "Your words, were they not? Did I leave anything out?"

Those were more than her words. He had taken her _voice_ , every quiver of fury she had bellowed at him, down the pitched cracks from crying, and turned it over like some sort of live recording. Word for word, a truly perfect impersonation. Her breath shuddered; those very words had left her lips in this very room once Kaito had changed into his normal clothes from his Kid attire. That had been the last time she had seen him. It festered at her as if yearning to reinforce her emotions from that day.

"Why are you doing this?" she pleaded weakly. "Why are you making me hate you?"

With soundless grace, he skirted around his room until he stood beside the bed, peering down at her with those beautifully cold eyes. Perhaps they really were sapphires.

"Don't you _already_ hate me?" he asked.

Aoko felt her eyes burn. "I want to hate you! God knows that I do! That I'd whack that look off your face with a mop if it could change anything!" She balled her hands into fists. "But I can't help but think you hate me more! Is that it? You got bored of teasing me all the time so you do this?"

His slip was poorly concealed, a vision of pure confusion. Aoko sniffled as he found his composure and stared at her. She could feel his disbelief even if she couldn't see it.

"Aoko, I wouldn't do something like that," he said firmly. "I didn't become Kid to hurt you. Believe what you want, but I wouldn't stoop that low."

"Well, what else am I supposed to believe? I'm not stupid enough to even think it's one of your practical jokes! And if you won't tell me, then… then…"

For the first time that night, Kaito smiled at her, that familiar roguish grin of a trickster. It had always been an irritating and endearing sight to see, but now it only gave her sorrow, tearing her core apart until it bled out inside her.

"You're a good girl, Aoko," he commented. "No matter how angry you are, you have your limits to what you'll do to hurt another person. You know who I am and you haven't told your father. I wonder why."

She glared at him. "I have no proof. That's why."

He chuckled. "Then I'm hardly one to help you find some," he teased, his tone lacking his usual finesse. "Go home, Aoko. You're father's still working, so he won't be home tonight. He'll never know you were here."

And with that, he turned to leave the room.

Why did her chest hurt so much to see him go? She had a right to be furious with him. Shouldn't she be glad to be rid of him?

"Wait!" she exclaimed, scrambling after him. "Kaito, wait!"

He kept walking without ever turning around. His form blended into the shadows of the unlit hallway, and for a moment, Aoko lost sight of him. But with another flash of lightning, she saw him make his way to the stairs. In a panic, she reached out her arm and grabbed onto his shirt as he made to move away. Kaito yelped in surprise.

"Why are you doing this?" she croaked quietly.

Kaito sighed, his face hidden in shadows. "Please let go, Aoko."

What little strength she had in her refused to listen. She tugged him back into his room and shut the door with a loud bang. His scent was everywhere again, a mixture of roses and gunpowder and that bizarre sweetness of his laundry detergent and something unnameable. Something only _he_ could exude.

Kaito sighed. "Aoko—"

"No, I've had enough." Aoko yanked him closer. "I know you have a reason for this! I know you're not a bad person, Kaito. A complete idiot, maybe, but not bad. Stop making me believe that you are! Tell me, why?"

"Because you're safer that way!"

She stopped breathing.

"Damn it, Aoko, I'm trying to keep you safe!" Kaito said, genuine anger cracking through his armor, face hidden but eyes blazing from the darkness. In seconds, he had her pinned against the wall beside the door. "Those people are after me because I'm after their prize. They'll do a lot worse to get it. So long as I keep them focused on me, I can beat the odds, but I can't do that if you're poking your head into everything!"

Lightning flashed from the storm, illuminating his entire face, eyes pleading; his hands had gripped tightly to her arms, that urgency permeating from his skin to hers from their touch.

Aoko was suddenly very aware that she was half-naked in front of him. This wasn't what she expected to hear from him at all.

"You _want_ them after you," she guessed hollowly, feeling impeccably small in his arms. His gaze diverted from hers to the window. "I won't let you."

He chuckled flatly. "You can't exactly keep me here. And if you talk, that won't stop anything." He sighed and turned back to her. "Please, Aoko, I'm asking you, if you keep my secret, to let it go. Otherwise, just let _me_ go."

He let those words settle in.

Did he really have right to ask that of her? To stand there and just ask her to walk away and let him keep his secrets and risk his life? He had just made it explicitly clear that whether her father knew about him or not, he would continue being Kaitou Kid. Everything pointed to one inevitable fact: he was on a mission, a dangerous one at that, and nothing was stopping him.

"Will you still be here if I do? If I let you go?"

"No."

There it was, that throbbing, tearing ache bleeding out inside her chest, squeezing her heart and smothering her lungs. If she hadn't known better she'd have thought she was in love with him.

 _'You do such damage. How do you manage to have me crawling back for more?'_

Aoko's mouth fell open at the thought, of the few words that had quite literally brought her to this moment, all the while struggling to inhale air to her lungs, but in the end, all she could do was breathe in his scent. She shuddered, completely aware that his hands on hers were strong, calloused and warm. His sapphire gaze was intense. He stood so close to her she caught the lingering scent of mint and chocolate of his lips. Kaito Kuroba was her best friend, infuriating but undeniably magnetic. She couldn't be in love with him. He had been in her thoughts for weeks, torturing her with his absence and his secrets. That wasn't love, it couldn't be…

The burning in her heart was making her delirious.

Aoko's mouth was dry, but she forced herself to ask what she needed to. "Do you _really_ still care about me at all?"

Kaito's grip on her arms loosened, his warm hands glossing down to her trembling, frigid fingers. His mask had returned, concealing the boy she knew behind that statuesque vision of mystery.

"What do you think, Aoko?"

With a flick of his hand, Kaito spun her around in dizzying spirals before releasing her hand. Aoko yelped in surprise and it took seconds to catch her bearings in time to realize that he had vanished again. She heard a clicking noise behind her, but when she turned, she was confronted with the portrait of Kaito's father and nothing else. Kaito had disappeared again. Shaking the dizziness from her head, Aoko hurried out of the room, but from every room to every hallway in the house, she found neither heads nor tails of the young magician.

It was against her will to give up her search, but the unwanted thought had cropped up in her mind's eye. Kaito wouldn't be foolish enough to remain in the house once he got the chance to flee. Because that was Kaitou Kid's mode of operation: steal something precious and flee.

Tears crept up at the corners of her eyes as she returned to Kaito's bedroom out of habit. He had stolen her trust and faith in him, and she ignored that tiny voice that reminded her that he may have stolen more than that. She couldn't bear for something like that to be true. Not now.

From the corner of her eye, something glimmered from the continued lightning flashes from the worsening storm outside. Her head turned to Kaito's bed, where a peculiar object stood out on the pillow. Roughly the size of her hand, made of shining, heavy gold with pincers clasping onto a large gleaming green gemstone, was none other than the expensive brooch her father had been tasked to protect.

" _Serpentine Scorpion_ ," she muttered breathlessly, her heart clenching at the reminder of what Kaito had done that night.

Against her better judgment (would it matter if her fingerprints would get on it?), Aoko lifted it from the pillow and caught sight of the two envelopes that had been beneath it, one addressed to her father, and the other to her, both unsealed for easy access. Steadying her breath, she opened the one for her father, reading:

 ** _Inspector Nakamori,_**

 ** _This is not the gem that I'm searching for, so I'm returning it to your good hands._**

 ** _Kaitou Kid._**

That little Kid doodle grinned cheekily at her.

Half-tempted to rip it to shreds, Aoko blinked back those furious tears threatening to spill over and tucked the letter back into the envelope with trembling hands, setting both it and the expensive brooch on the bedside table. She picked up the one addressed to her and wondered if would just be better to toss it away and never read what was inside. Kaito didn't have the common decency to trust her or care that he had broken her heart in a way she had never dreamed possible. Still, her hands worked the envelope open and her burning eyes scanned over every word written in Kaito's hand, not printed like Kid's.

The words left her breathless as the tears finally poured down her pale cheeks. She reread it over and over until she hiccuped and collapsed onto his bed, tucking herself beneath his sheets and clutching the paper so tightly that it crumpled.

 ** _Aoko,_**

 ** _I never wanted you to find out about this until I knew for sure that I could put everything behind me. I understand if you never forgive me, but if there's a chance that you can, wait for me and I'll tell you everything when its over. If not, forget me and move on. If you tell your father the truth about this, it will put the both of you in more danger. Whether you believe me or not is up to you. Just know that I never did this to tear us apart or to hurt you._**

 ** _After this heist, I have come to realize that Japan is too narrow in the scope of this bigger picture, so I'll leave, and I know your father won't be allowed to chase after me. My only gift to you is the time I will no longer take from him. It is the only penitence I can offer now. I don't plan on dying, but I have to complete what I started, no matter the cost. Perhaps we shall meet again one day, as friends or foes, we'll see if or when it happens. Regardless, you'll always be with me._**

 ** _Kaito._**

"How could I ever forget you, you idiot?" she sobbed quietly.

Returning the gemstone to her father or even leaving the house was a problem she would leave for later. At that moment, she just wanted the peace to grieve. What kind of guy was Kaito to leave her with this mess? It was near impossible to stop him from doing whatever he wanted, especially if it was leaving. Maybe she was a fool for still being there, heartbroken over someone who didn't deserve it. Maybe she had lost her mind in holding that letter to her chest as if it were more precious than the gem beside her head.

Whatever it was, it was the same will that kept her from uttering those truthful words to her father or ever tossing Kaito's house-keys in a bin or even leaving the warmth of his bed. It held her tight through the fury and the sorrow, pulsing through her being with the certainty of only one thing.

She wanted the truth, no matter how long it took to get it.

 _'How do you manage to have me crawling back for more?'_

How did he, indeed?

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **Someone send help; I'm stuck in an angst corner. I don't know how these two always bring that side out of me but they are slowly taking over my life.**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	8. On a Night Like This, Come Fly with Me

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#_** ** _8_**

 **TITLE:** ** _On a Night Like This,_** ** _Come Fly with Me_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ A Night Like This, by Caro Emerald & Come Fly With Me, by Frank Sinatra ~_**

 **~M.K~**

 **February 14: Valentine's Day…**

From the second her alarm blared through the drowsy morning air, Aoko had set herself on a mission and refused to let anything prevent her from carrying it through. She had it all planned out from start to finish. This wasn't going to be like the last two years where she had either been caught up at school or down with the flu. This day was going to be perfect even if it killed her.

Okay, perhaps not 'killed' per se but she wanted it to be the best Valentine's Day ever!

Kaito hadn't been there when she'd woken. She remembered his offhand comment of going out with Jii, putting the finishing touches on his upcoming heist for the Cupid's Arrow, a glittering ruby and diamond necklace that had left her in awe the last she had seen it. Aoko wondered if it was even possible to identity Pandora in such a jewel, but Kaito's refused to left any stone go unturned, especially if they were priceless and sparkly.

Learning the truth about Kaito's night job had been a roller-coaster of emotion, screaming, and anxiety. It had taken both Jii and even Chikage, Kaito's mother, to intervene and assist Kaito in thoroughly explaining how his father Toichi became the _Magician Under the Moonlight_ to protect the Phantom Lady ("Your _mother's_ a thief, too?!" she had exclaimed in horror, realizing it was _all_ in his genes) and why he had deliberately chosen to take on such a dangerous criminal career.

Whether confessing the truth, in the end, had been the right choice had been up in the air for some time. The tension his lies had caused had not been resolved instantaneously alongside the trouble she had faced once she had encountered her father. It had taken even longer for them to settle the largest issue between them.

The tension of supposedly unrequited love revealed to be more than reciprocated, but intense and wondrous.

Kid's routine heists had resumed with extreme vigor. Week upon week went by. Aoko studied hard at university, determined to join the police force. And every weekend, her boyfriend always found a way to make her smile the brightest, even when he was in pain.

Now that they had made it to Aoko's final year, there had certainly been a change of living arrangements. Chikage had finally moved back to Japan to stay, but Kaito had moved out to his own apartment which was located a reasonable distance between his childhood home and Jii's bar, the Blue Parrot. The best part had been the fact that it wasn't just his; it was _theirs_. Not only did it make traveling a little more convenient, but it brought the two lovers closer together.

That hadn't meant that Kaito had forgotten her this day. The sweetest part of the morning was waking up surrounded by rose petals and a tray of fruit, her favorite coffee, and slightly-too-sweet blueberry waffles (literally the only breakfast food he didn't burn… much).

It was an uplifting start to the day. So, when it all completely spiraled out of control, Aoko seriously wondered if she had somehow managed to offend the gods in some horrendous way.

Since it had been clearly established that Kaito's absence would last throughout the day, she had planned a romantic little dinner on their balcony for the night. It had its own charm with her rustic little garden, a cozy glass table, sleek chairs, and the quaint porch swing for the nights she and Kaito curled up after a long, hard day's work. She had rearranged the flower pots, brought out candles, and tried not to turn the balcony into a pink and red balloon nightmare. Kaito would have a laugh of it, but she would be utterly embarrassed.

Also, Aoko credited herself on being a decent cook, in spite of Kaito's teasing ("Like _you're_ any better," was her usual comeback). She admitted that meat was her problem point, always cooking it until it was too soft, burnt, or dry, but everything else was simple to handle.

A bit of slightly overcooked food, she could handle. The world suddenly shifting under her feet, she could not.

When Kid's heist finally started that night, Aoko debated just eating out for dinner. That was, of course, if anywhere would still be open for business. There was probably enough time for her to clean up before he arrived, and she had a few decent tricks to cover the repugnant scent of burnt meat. In her heart, she knew she wasn't to blame for the accident. Everything had been going swimmingly until the entire room began to shake, toppling the pots, cutlery, wall decor, and delicate vases of flowers all over the floor.

The internet had exploded with news of the earthquake and Aoko had been so distracted that she forgot to turn off the slow cooker containing the meat when the shaking stopped and the building evacuated its occupants, and thus it had burnt to a dark brown crisp when the liquid evaporated when she was finally allowed to return. She had been too busy trying to clean up the mess that her other pots had spewed across the floor.

Irrationally, she thought that the gods must have been angry to do that. The only food left nearly unharmed was the chocolate cake she'd set safely aside. And it was lopsided.

So here she was, tossing away ruined food, shattered glass, and broken ceramics with a heavy heart. Perhaps Valentine's Day just wasn't for her and Kaito, or anyone else, really. Thankfully, the news showed few injuries and no reported deaths, which appeased her worry for the people of Beika. Any damage hadn't occurred on her side of town, and thus they were deemed a safer zone. Perhaps the gods weren't _that a_ ngry. Groaning, she wrung out the mop and inspected the gleaming, slippery floorboards, just as a sound of flapping fabric sounded from the balcony.

Aoko froze on the spot. There was only one way she'd hear something like that here. Utterly embarrassed, she spun around to witness Kaito discard his Kid attire with a light flourish, reappearing in simple black jeans and a blue t-shirt. Without hesitation, he was at her side, his expression marred by both annoyance and relief.

"Oi, don't you know how to pick up your phone?" he demanded. "I've been trying to call you for the past half hour!"

A tinge of rosy pink flooded across her cheeks as she reached around to the counter and held up her phone for him to see; Kaito stared at the shattered, still somewhat wet device.

"Kinda difficult if it's broken!" she retorted. When it slipped off the counter, it had immediately been greeted by wok containing the noodles. She wasn't even sure why the landline didn't work; too busy perhaps? Or maybe the lines had gone out in this part of town. "You know about the earthquake?"

"Know about it? I almost dropped the damn jewel over the side of the building when it happened," he said. "All of Beika felt that!" He sighed softly. "And your dad's okay. He's worried about you, too; kept trying to call you, last I checked."

Aoko blinked until Kaito held up his own phone. "I think you should let him know you're unhurt."

Pushing aside her tumbling emotions about the messed up dinner, Aoko nodded quietly, touched that her father actually put her as a top priority. But as she dialed her father's number, she caught sight of Kaito's curious gaze sweeping over the entire apartment, falling on the dirty dishes in the sink, the lopsided cake, and the large, partially filled garbage bag on the floor. Her embarrassment returned in a mighty wave.

"I see you've had an eventful evening without me," he said smoothly. "Aftershock passed already, right?"

"Yeah, well, not all of us can get our thrills jumping off of buildings, can we?" Aoko replied rhetorically, earning her a soft laugh from Kaito. It was enough to restore a smile to her face as she leaned upwards and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. "Welcome home."

"Great to be back," he said, smirking softly. "You go on ahead, I'll finish up here."

Aoko raised an eyebrow. "What? Oh, no, you don't have to do anything! You've had a long day-"

"I insist." With a gentle but firm grip, he urged her in the direction of their bedroom. "Besides, it looks like a restaurant threw up on you."

If she didn't love this man so much, she would have done him in with the mop. But admittedly, she was tired and filthy and in need of a hot bath and clean clothes. Guilty at the relief settling in her chest and for giving him more work than necessary for his day, she hurried to the bedroom and called her father once the door was shut behind her.

He was still at work, but he promised to stop by the next day to see her. Once she explained why he couldn't reach her earlier, his disapproval waned, and sparing a moment of concern for her boyfriend ("Yes, he's still here. It's a mess, so he's helping clean up... Yes, Tou-san, _Kaito's cleaning!_ ") he ended the call to rally his subordinates. Aoko took the time to check on Keiko, Hakuba, and Akako, ensuring that they were all safe and well before abandoning the phone on the bed and hastening to the bathroom. At least the water was unaffected.

 **~M.K~**

She wasn't sure how long she had been in the shower, but she was well-refreshed once she exited the bathroom. She had been so busy tucking her hair into a towel that she balked at the sight of a long black thing lying on the bed; it was a garment bag.

"What in the world…?" She wobbled over to the bag and picked up the card left for her to read:

 ** _Hey, Aoko,_**

 ** _On such a beautiful night like this, the only thing that could make it better it is having you by my side. Care to join me?_**

 ** _Kaito._**

He even added a cute, hand-drawn smiley face, the kind he knew she could never resist smiling at; as predicted, Aoko giggled at his antics to cheer her up. She rested the card on the pillow and reached out to unzip the bag and gasped at the outfit Kaito had laid out for her.

It was a simple two-piece assemble consisting of a sleeveless, white, velvet-and-lace blouse and a cute flowing black tulle skirt. He had included her favorite diamond earrings, an inheritance from her mother, and her most comfortable pair of black flats. Aoko couldn't help but be touched by his gesture, and the intrigue over-weighed the guilt trying to resurface. Had Kaito had his own plans for the evening or was he trying to make up for the disaster the earthquake had left her with?

Whatever it was, Kaito was up to his tricks again. Curiosity won out and Aoko hurried to get dressed. In the mirror, she couldn't help but blush at how well the outfit looked on her. Dashing on a bit of makeup and clipping her hair back from her face, Aoko left their bedroom to meet another surprise.

It was dark outside. Kaito had turned off all the lights except for the ones out on the balcony; their low was visible beyond the kitchen area.

"Kaito?" she called out, momentarily berating herself for almost feeling like she had entered a horror film.

"Out here!" Kaito called back. He was definitely on the balcony.

Shaking her head, Aoko followed the sound of his voice, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Interestingly enough, she caught a whiff of a delicious scent that had her stomach rumbling. Before she could even place what it was, she was at the open door, entirely breathless by the sight that had overtaken the cozy space.

Kaito had cleaned up the fallen flower pots and rearranged the plants all around the little balcony and had thought to get the clear Christmas lights from storage to add to his brand of roses sweetening the air, transforming the space into something out of a magical book. He had covered the table with a shimmering pale fabric topped with candles, their best cutlery, a bottle of wine from the case that Hakuba had given them for Christmas, and the most surprising of all: two pizza boxes and her lopsided chocolate cake.

It was simpler than what she had tried for earlier but far lovelier.

"Oh," she murmured, wide-eyed and gaping at what Kaito had done. It was better than she could have imagined. "How-?"

"If it can be thought, it can be done," Kaito declared proudly, wrapping an arm around her waist. "We're lucky Pizza Bar's only two blocks away and Akihiko-san's still working tonight."

Kaito's eyes danced roguishly.

"I can't believe you did all this! It's beautiful!" Aoko was practically glowing, her diminished mood from earlier fading to a distant hum.

"Happens when you're inspired." Aoko's responding comment was lost on his sudden claim of her lips, and she was hardly in the mood to deny him something so sweet for something so incredibly lovely.

It wasn't unusual for Kaito to pull out spontaneous spectacles for her to enjoy. He considered it both practice for his performances and entertainment to lift her spirits when life got stressful. Between her education and worrying about her father and boyfriend during their nighttime showdowns, that happened more than Aoko would like to admit.

"That looks great on you, by the way," he said against her gasping mouth. He leaned back with a cheeky grin, his eyes roaming below her neck.

Aoko raised her brows, flushing to match Kaito's red roses as she patted her clothes. "Thank you. But you knew that anyway," she added, raising a shaky her hand to her neck, only to pause at the sudden feel of an unusual piece hanging around her neck. She looked down and almost had a heart attack.

She was wearing the Cupid's Arrow, Kid's most recent heist haul. The diamonds and rubies glittered innocently around her neck.

" _Are you crazy?_ " she squeaked, frozen in the attempt of ripping the priceless necklace off and the realization that _that_ was a terrible idea. She was NOT going to be liable for any damages!

Kaito waved his hand dismissively. "No one's going to know," he assured her. "Once I've cleaned it, it'll be like the _owner_ never touched it. Let it have a night out with a lovely lady; it's spent years in a glass case."

Aoko was uncertain which one would grab hold of her: shrieking, crying or laughing. Somehow, they were becoming frequent acquaintances.

"I take it this isn't Pandora, then?" Aoko guessed, steadying her heart for both their sakes. "You wouldn't be so blatant with it unless it was just another gem."

'Just another gem' was putting it mildly. The largest ruby was crafted in the form of an arrowhead-or was it was heart?-as the sheer splendor of it was breathtaking. Diamonds and smaller rubies littered the golden curves of the necklace, arched out like a bow. Aoko had literally never worn anything so expensive in her life.

"No, it's not," Kaito confirmed. "I'm tempted not to give it back. It really suits you…"

Aoko refrained from glaring at him. "As sweet as that is, I don't think I should be wearing this. It could pay for my tuition three times over!"

"Four," Kaito corrected. "I'll send it back first thing in the morning. I promise. But will you keep it on for now? _Please?_ "

It wasn't fair, being assaulted by a wave of cuteness. Though she secretly thought it was the sweetest thing, Aoko fought hard to resist the pleading of those wide blue eyes, yearning and soulful as a puppy, in spite of his expression remaining serenely still. Kaito only ever dropped _that part_ of his Poker face when he knew it could get under her skin.

And considering all he went through to give her a magical Valentine's Day date, she realized he was winning.

"Okay, fine, I'll wear it," Aoko relented. "But only for an hour! Whoa, Kaito!"

A piercing squeal escaped her lips as he grasped her around the waist and swung her around, so wildly that it was a miracle they didn't bump into anything. Aoko felt like she was flying. Her heart thrumming happily, Aoko realized that Kaito was in a good mood. Not because of a successful heist, or maybe even Valentine's Day.

Whatever it was, she liked it. A lot.

"What's gotten into you?" she giggled.

Kaito smirked. "Cake."

Sure enough, an examination of the dinner table revealed that a huge chunk of her mishap of a V-Day cake had gone missing. It slowly dawned on her that his lips were sweeter than usual. It was the first wave of success Aoko could muster from her long evening; her desserts always appealed to Kaito's sweet tooth, no matter what they looked like.

"It's always _sugar_ , isn't it?" Aoko asked, her lips quivering and utterly demolishing her reprimanding visage.

Kaito's grip around her loosened and he lightly returned her feet to the floor. Aoko blinked, wondering if she had said something to offend him, but was pleasantly surprised by the blue rose bouquet that sprung up in his hand between them. Their favorite flowers.

"Maybe, maybe not." Kaito led her over to the table and sat opposite her, his chiseled face illuminated by the candlelight. "Just glad the apartment's in one piece."

Aoko could have sworn that was a mild barb at her cooking, only to recognize that a glint of concern had returned to his eyes. The only time he gave her such a look was when he was under the impression that her life was in danger.

The earthquake.

"It was worst on the west side of town," Aoko reminded him, grasping on his hand; she felt a slight tremor under her fingers. "I'm fine, Kaito. _Really_."

"I know that. I just…" His eyes flickered off across to the lights of the city. Even in the distance, they could hear car alarms. His fingers tightened around hers as if the touch alone would grant her understanding of his unspoken words. Aoko knew him well enough that it did, his poker face be damned.

 _Don't scare me like that, Ahoko. I don't want anything happening to you. Had me worrying like that, I thought maybe…_

"I love you, too," she said softly, jarring him from his thoughts.

Kaito blinked, scratching the side of his blushing face.

"And this smells so good," she added, opening the nearest pizza box and saving him from the awkwardness of giving a sentimental reply when his love was already in his eyes. "With extra onions, too!"

"Well, it's your favorite, isn't it?" Kaito grinned at her as she loaded their plates with slices. The other was his favorite, the cheesy meat-eater's special.

"It never occurred to me to order pizza," Aoko continued, relishing the crunch of meat and onion beneath her teeth.

"Really?" Kaito asked innocently. His eyes were gleaming. "Pizza's Italian. Italian food's romantic."

Aoko almost choked on her pizza slice, trying hard not to roll her eyes or laugh. Kaito could be so ironically goofy, but it was one of the reasons she loved him so much. Silliness and all.

 **~M.K~**

 **March 14: White Day…**

Aoko had established her presence at the Blue Parrot, awaiting his and Jii's return. Considering how the heist ended, Kaito was looking forward to spending the evening with her, especially since he had confirmed that there was no damage to his backup equipment. From the moment Kaito materialized from the secret backroom to their underground base, she was on her feet and at his side, her soft fingers grazing along his jaw, inspecting the scruffy red mark with worried curiosity.

"Are you okay? What did you do to Kudo-kun to make him do this?" she asked, brows raised.

Kaito went pink. His grand departure of the night had partially been interrupted by a shockingly speedy soccer ball kicked at his head by Kudo from the roof of the building where the Sparrow's Star had been displayed. It was a reminiscent gesture of his frustration at the Teleportation Heist those years ago, back when the Kid Killer had literally been a kid himself. Kaito had barely swerved out of the way to avoid a crushing impact that might have sent him tumbling into a building and had to settle for the burn mark instead.

He recalled the thundering sound of footsteps on his tail; it had been a comforting familiarity to Kaito, ironically enough, as he had followed his routed exit strategy in perfect timing. There had been no sign of Snake and his men and he'd managed to trap Kudo in the broom cupboard while disguised as his fiancee, Ran Mouri; the said girl in question had been lured out with a fake message from Kudo (on behalf of Kid), and the ensued chaos was not something he wanted to stick around for.

What happened in the broom cupboard would stay in the broom cupboard, as far as anyone was concerned, especially Kudo. Kaito wasn't sure whether he should laugh it off or move to a different country.

He wasn't sure Aoko would be up for that life-changing choice. He checked for the time; he had ten minutes left to enact his escape route. If he missed the mark, he would be late for his date with Aoko and he had no intention of disappointing her.

"Hold it, Kid!" the inspector had screamed from down the hall. In a heartbeat, Kaito had disappeared up the stairs, determined to check and see whether the Sparrow's Star in his pocket was Pandora. If not, he would probably leave it for Inspector Nakamori or Kudo to find and save on postage stamps.

A few turns, tricks, and taunt-trades later, Kaito had stationed himself on the roof, examining the glistening circular jewel safely encased in a golden sparrow… which had not Pandora. Rather than wallow, he'd simply tucked the gem back in his pocket and listened for the thundering footsteps of Inspector Nakamori and his Task Force officers growing louder and closer by the second.

Kaito shrugged and sat on the nearest stool in the bar, thinking about when he had peered at his audience gathered for his latest performance, cheering his name with gusto. Endeared to their encouragement, his eyes had sought out the one person in the crowd, always hovering near the outskirts with her bright banner in hand, cheering on her father as she usually would when she could attend a heist.

The same person standing in front of him, fussing over his bruise and cleaning it with the first aid kit Jii had brought in.

Most would have thought it to be a bizarre situation, supporting one's father in arresting their beloved, but appearances had to be kept. Aoko, as far as anyone knew, still hated Kid, and she did; Kid's continued existence meant that Pandora was still out there and two of the most important people in her life had to live in a lie. Nowadays, her protesting his heists came from the desire to see all the danger end, rather than at Kaito himself.

And it was a good opportunity for her to vent when he couldn't hear her. Funnily enough, it gave her a sense of catharsis.

But other routines had to be met, and they were. Such as his escape from her father and disappearing into the night. He had been sure to get close enough to tuck the priceless gem in the inspector's pocket before departing, leaving him with the success of rescuing the glimmering stone. There were compromises, too.

"So," Aoko prompted. "What did you do to Kudo-kun this time?"

"Eh, he'll get over it," Kaito said with a dismissive wave of his hand. ' _When hell freezes over… heh…._ '

Aoko didn't look convinced, but she put the band-aid across his cheekbone with a gentle touch. Satisfied that he was taken care of, she sat on the stool beside him, looking slightly green. He had initially chalked it up to her anxiety for him getting injured, but they had cleared passed that. The heist was a success, he and Inspector Nakamori were safe, the jewel was returned. Now the two of them would be free to spend the rest of the evening together as they had planned. It was White Day, after all, and Kaito had promised to give her anything she wanted, besides the box of white chocolates he had delivered that morning.

The thought clicked together something he hadn't expected. She was dressed warmly in a simple blue blouse with her favorite faded jeans and black jacket. She was still shivering.

"You're looking for an excuse not to do this, aren't you?" he guessed, grinning around at her blushing figure.

"That's not it!" Aoko protested, but her expression said otherwise.

From over the counter, Jii's interest piked at the vague discussion brewing between the young couple while he prepared the bar for their late night patrons. Wherever it was going, he suspected that it was related to Kaito asking for the night off from work.

" _You're_ the one who asked to go, remember?" Kaito continued teasingly. " _Kekeke!_ Is Nakamori Aoko backing down from a challenge? I didn't bother changing out of this for nothing, you know!"

He gestured to his Kid outfit. That seemed to hit a nerve. "Of course not, Bakaito!" she said in annoyance. "I just…."

Kaito slid off the stool and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder. "Trust me, I know what I'm doing. Besides, we've done it before. Heck, I did it tonight!"

"I wasn't conscious then! And you almost fell!"

Now Jii's interest had peaked. "Should I be worried?" he inquired.

Kaito laughed nervously under his mildly suspicious gaze. This weekend had been an adventure of Aoko's own request. They chose to do it during the night; there was a lesser chance of them being observed, though Beika was used to the odd Kid sighting every once in a while.

"Oh, never mind!" Aoko said quickly before Kaito could respond, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the exit with a surprising amount of strength. "See you tomorrow!"

Kaito almost felt sorry for the older man, staring at their retreating figures, completely nonplussed.

"Young people these days," he heard him chuckle. "Or should I say, ' _those two…_ '?"

 **~M.K~**

"Bad idea! Very bad idea!"

"Aoko, it was _your_ idea!"

Kaito sighed silently as her grip around his neck tightened. He hoped she wouldn't choose now of all times to strangle him, considering how high they were from the ground in the middle of the night. He had an inkling that she would rather brave another earthquake than _gaze down at the earth_ from such a high vantage point. Personally, he preferred her up here in his arms rather some broken rubble on the ground. The thought made him shiver more than the chilly night.

" _Ahoko_ , relax!" Kaito said loudly. "I'm not going to drop you! I know what I'm doing!"

That hardly changed a damn thing.

It had been against his better judgment to even bring her with him on the hang glider, but after weeks of pestering on Aoko's part, he finally relented to take her on her first experience. At least, her first conscious experience; the first time at Touto Tower didn't count as far as she was concerned. He would have expected a vacation in Osaka ("Not to pester Hattori, I swear!" he had protested sometime earlier that week when he suggested it) or an all-day tour of her favorite sweet shops. Aoko generally wanted little to do with activities he donned as Kid, but genuine curiosity had won out when she had spent an entire day with his mother, who had told her of the real story as to how she had met his father.

Naturally, his mother had gone all wistful at the memory and it sounded so romantic to Aoko that it led them right into this situation. There was no turning back now.

The moment her grip tightened around him, he started to regret it.

But there were only so many requests he could resist when she gave him those ridiculous eyes. Who did she think she was, a kitten?

"Aoko, I promise, I won't drop you," he assured her as they soared over the nightlife of Beika City. Whoever saw them would barely glimpse Kid, and in her dark clothes, Aoko blended into the night sky. "Don't you trust me?"

Shivering, she nodded and loosened her grip enough to let him breathe. It was a start. Breathing nervously, she peered tentatively at the world below her; her mouth fell open in awe.

The lights outlined every crevice of a town she had only known from the ground, only witness from building at a distance during the night. But Kaito knew she had never seen a view like this, as though the world below her was racing past, alight with bright lights and minuscule people. It was nothing like an airplane, the feeling of the wind against their skin; her flushed face glowed with absolute wonder. He could almost imagine what it would have been like to be in Paris to have a nighttime view like this. No wonder his mother always gushed about it. It became something magical when you were with someone you loved.

"It's beautiful," she muttered, too frozen to move, but too amazed to turn away.

Kaito grinned cheekily at her. "Yeah, the view's the best part."

It took a moment for her to realize, to Kaito's amusement, that he wasn't looking at the town, but at her. Blushing, she reverted her eyes to a particular building in the distance as the sound of chiming bells rang over Beika.

"The Clock Tower," she said fondly. The place they had first met, their special place. It was brightly lit, visible and glowing from their sky-high view. To see it from the sky like this was a dream. "Thank you, Kaito."

Kaito smirked at her. "You're welcome, my lady." Her blush brightened as he leaned in and kissed her cold lips, both lost in a world that was entirely their own.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **I think I got diabetes writing this.**

 **I apologize for posting a whole week late but it's been a really weird week. Life outside writing is a pain. I didn't finish the original Valentine's Day story on time, which was why I added it to this one. That's why it seems more like two stories in one rather than one overall plot. It's sort of a bonus for an extremely late chapter, so in a weird way, it's for this week and last week. I don't think White Day is celebrated anywhere else but Japan, and it would be weird to say it. I tried to go for a more cheerful atmosphere this time around rather than my usual angst.**

 **And no, before you ask, I'm not going to tell you what happened in the broom cupboard. What happened in the broom cupboard stays in the broom cupboard.**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	9. All of Me

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#_** ** _9_**

 **TITLE:** ** _All of Me_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ All of Me, by John Legend ~_**

 **~M.K~**

Her skin was warm velvet beneath his hand. With the lightest care, he skimmed his fingers along the curves of her shoulders, her long, freckled arms, to the delicate dip at her waist to the slight curve of her midriff. Dark hair tickled his cheek as he turned on his side to gaze at her sleeping face.

She was adorable when she slept. Every angle of her face had smoothed to a curious obliviousness, and her pink lips were parted. Her long lashes fluttered with her dreams, casting short shadows along her cheeks. Her listless hands lay between them, and his heart swelled at the gleaming sapphire band adorning her finger. He could have stayed there with her all morning without a care in the world.

"You're staring again, you creep."

A short burst of laughter escaped Kaito's lips.

"It's called admiration," he said teasingly. "See if I ever do that again."

It was Aoko's turn to giggle.

"What time is it?" she asked, tugging the sheet over her chest, concealing a rather appealing view from Kaito's eyes and yawning sleepily.

"Too early to leave the bed."

"Lazybones," Aoko muttered fondly before checking the clock on the bedside table. She bolted up when she realized it said it was a little after eleven in the morning. She turned back to Kaito with raised eyebrows.

"Kaito, this is too early?" she asked rhetorically. "More like it's too late."

Kaito wrapped an arm around her middle, pulled her down to him, and nuzzled his face lazily in the crook of her neck, his dark mess of bed hair mixing in with hers. "Aoko, it's our honeymoon. No one's going to care if we spend all day in bed. Besides, I wanted to let you sleep; you were tired."

She sighed at the little kisses he peppered on her skin until his mouth was dancing playfully around hers, kissing her chin, her cheeks, eyelids, and even her nose, but avoiding her lips. She pretended to glare at him as he gave her one of those ridiculous, knavish smirks when he noticed her pout.

"What? You said you don't like morning breath."

Aoko almost shoved him off the bed.

Eventually, the newlyweds relented to take a shower and go out for breakfast since neither one of them was in the mood to cook a late breakfast/early lunch. Aoko held onto Kaito's hand as they left the hotel and wandered through the sun-kissed streets of Paris.

There were occasional pointed glances toward the young couple as they found their favorite cafe with a full view of the Eiffel Tower; after all, it wasn't every day that an international renown magician passed through Europe for his honeymoon with his wife. Kaito knew Aoko would have been happy to remain in Japan, but he wanted to spoil her before their regular lives returned.

Knowing her sweet tooth, it hadn't been difficult to persuade her to the deal of sampling genuine foreign sweets from every country on their list. Kaito's survival instincts warned him never to comment on her weight, even if she _had_ gained a _slight_ change in her figure. At this point, he probably did as well.

From across their secluded table on the cafe's upper balcony, Kaito fondly watched Aoko over the top of his coffee cup as she moaned in delight at her second helping of strawberry crepes, offhandedly wondering where she had the room to store it all. There was something different about her, but he just couldn't put his finger on what it was.

After they left the cafe, they wandered past the shops and were occasionally stopped for an autograph from or photo with Kaito, much to Aoko's amusement. They had already visited the famed landmarks in the country, driven along the countryside, and even been through a variety of sweet shops at Aoko's delight (and Kaito's disbelief when she sampled everything). Occasionally, Aoko leaned against Kaito's shoulder and closed her eyes, as if taking a standing nap.

It made him laugh.

"What's so funny?" she asked, pouting at him.

Kaito grasped her waist and ticked her sides, relishing her squealing laughter and attempts to swat his hands away.

"Oi, what are you doing?" She managed to break away, her face glowing with life. "Don't be a brat!"

"I'm not," he said smugly. "Just waking you up since you don't want coffee."

She rolled her eyes, fighting the silly smile on her face. "I already had some of yours, Kaito, and it was too sweet. Come on, I want to see that bakery again!"

Kaito chuckled at the irony; the woman with the sweet tooth complaining that something was _too_ sweet…

An hour later, the couple found themselves strolling along the lush grass of Champ de Mars, where other locals and tourists had gathered for picnics or rest. Aoko stopped under a shady tree to rest her feet, nibbling on a treat bag of _palmiers_ , a leaf-shaped pastry she had taken a liking to. Kaito felt her eyes follow him as he got busy with work. Well, _work_ was a mild description.

A group of young children had witnessed a brief display of showiness he had used to make his wife laugh and had begged to see more, to Kaito's delight. Within minutes, the knavish magician had gathered a dazzled audience. It was a different sort of pride, bringing joy and laughter to those children's faces over his usual crowds. In the end, a little blonde girl no older than two years waddled up to him with a little daisy, beckoned him to kneel, and then gave him the tiny flower and a little kiss on his chin. The crowd laughed.

Kaito beamed at her and offered a pretty pink rose in return, to her great delight.

"You're wonderful with them." Kaito looked up to see Aoko standing over him, affectionate eyes dancing over the little crowd rambling in their native tongue. "The children especially love you."

Kaito shrugged his shoulders. "Yeah. I remember what it was like to watch my father perform on stage. I'm honored to do the same whenever I can."

Aoko reached up and ran her hand through his tousled hair.

"For all of them or your own?" she asked curiously, resting her head against his shoulder.

Kaito's eyes twinkled at the thought. Perhaps years ago the idea wouldn't have occurred to him, but it had been something he thought about while on his mission to attain Pandora. Back then, settling down and having a family was unlikely and too risky. Why put a family through the heartache he endured after his father's death? But with both that Organization and dreaded gem gone, and finally having the chance to be with Aoko, he felt like anything was possible. It must have shown because he caught Aoko blushing.

" _Especially_ my own… I want a whole army of them," he decreed. "Let's see. One half shall be magicians and the other half will be thieves."

He caught sight of his wife with her arms folded and eyebrows raised.

"Alright, a third will _moonlight_ as detectives."

He grinned cheekily at her exasperation.

"That army better not be more than five, Kaito," she warned him, a dark blush growing on her cheeks. "And no thieves."

It was late afternoon when they returned to the hotel, appetites sated and worn for wear. After a long shower, Aoko collapsed on their bed and went fast asleep, sparing a kiss to her husband before she drifted off. In turn, Kaito was still too awake to tuck in and simply left her to rest while he focused his time on planning new ideas for his performances. They had one more day in France before they went to the Netherlands.

He wanted a new adventure with Aoko before they left.

To no surprise, Aoko slept through the night, just as she had the past week. Kaito found himself gazing at her again, his eyes catching on the delicate outline of her body in the shadows of the night. It was unlike her to sleep so much. He was the 'lazybones' in their relationship. He hoped she hadn't caught a bug as he drifted off to sleep.

Kaito shuddered awake in the darkness, dazed and confused by the sudden pull of an abrupt sound. It had to take something loud to snap him out of his dreams because he usually slept like a rock. Was it coming from outside? Grumbling to himself, he reached out his arm to wrap around Aoko, prepared to go back to sleep, only to grasp at empty sheets.

His body thrown into alertness, Kaito scrambled off the bed and flicked on the lamp, his eyes roaming the room until they fell on the open doorway leading to their bathroom. He heard Aoko groan and immediately hastened inside to find his wife curled over the toilet.

"Aoko!" He rushed to her side and was taken aback by the clamminess of her forehead as she clumsily dabbed her chin with a wad of tissue paper. "Oh god, what's wrong?"

Aoko shook her head and pulled the tank lever. "Nothing," she gasped, clutching her stomach and taking shallow breaths.

"Aoko, you're sick! That's not nothing," Kaito protested, seeing the weariness and hesitation in her eyes. Aoko couldn't answer as she leaned over the side and emitted around round of sick; all Kaito could do was hold back her hair. Had she eaten too much earlier?

He didn't care that Aoko felt embarrassed that he helped her out of her clothes and into the shower for a hot bath, but he couldn't help but be protective and concerned. While she brushed her teeth, he ordered up a cup of ginger tea and a tray of dry toast, all the while wondering if he should just take her to the hospital. She drank the tea in between small bites of toast, leaning against his shoulder and closing her eyes. This time, Kaito didn't find the gesture amusing.

"Kaito, it's not what you think," Aoko said quietly as he tested for a fever. "It's just a little nausea. It always passes."

His hand froze against the side of her face, his eyes widening by a fraction.

"Always?" he repeated flatly. "Aoko, how long as this been going on?"

She winced slightly and turned a bashful stare at her toast. "Almost two weeks," she said in a small voice. "Since we were in Italy." She sighed nervously at his stillness. "I was going to tell you, but it wasn't often! You were always either asleep or busy. I didn't want to worry you."

He rubbed the back of his head. "Were you planning on keeping that a secret from me?"

"You're one to talk about keeping secrets," Aoko muttered, shaking her head at the exasperation on his face. "I was going to tell you at dinner tomorrow night, or tonight, I should say. I was hoping for it to be a surprise."

"Trust me, I'm surprised," Kaito said disgruntledly. They were supposed to be enjoying their honeymoon and instead, he had been oblivious to his own wife's plight. Great way to start off a marriage.

Aoko giggled softly. "No, not that, you idiot," she said, a mildly rosy glow returning her pale cheeks. She discarded her tea and toast and grasped onto his hand, her fingers skimming along his palm before she pressed it against her belly and held it there, her eyes imploring him to understand. "The truth is… I'm pregnant, Kaito."

At first, he heard her speak; then he heard the _words_ ; thus, Kaito altogether forgot what a poker face was. Aoko giggled at his dumbfounded expression, jaw dropped, eyes wide, probably messier hair for wear. She rubbed her hand comfortingly over his, waiting for the news to sink in.

"You're… pregnant," he croaked out. "You are… there's a—I mean—how—I mean, I know _how_ , but—"

"Kaito, breathe!" Aoko ordered, reclaiming her half-eaten piece of toast.

Her husband fell silent and took the deepest breath he could muster. His eyes wandered from hers to that little spot where his hand resided; right there, a tiny being was… growing? Aoko had something entirely unique inside her now, a part of her… a part of him…

Kaito's other hand reached out to cover Aoko's warm hand on his. Her skin truly was velvet. It slowly dawned on him, why she was so tired as of late, craving more to eat, or even wandering off to the toilet more than usual. He had chalked it up to exhaustion from their touring, occasionally being a tad more temperamental when he annoyed her. How did he even miss the signs?

"We're having a baby?" he asked, his blank face slowly morphing into a jubilant grin. He caught the tears in her eyes as she nodded. "How long have…?"

"I don't know," she replied, her voice wavering with emotion. "I took a test before we left Italy, twice, and another after we came to Frances… all I know is that we're having a baby. When I saw you with those children earlier, I wanted to tell you then, but—"

Aoko gasped as Kaito swept her into a hug, lifting her from the bed and onto his lap, the both of them tumbling back on the bed. Giggling like mad, Aoko blushed at the wondering look on his, the very one from their wedding day when he stood with her at the altar. She bent her head and claimed his lips for her own, a heady moan drawn from her lips at his own mercy.

The rest of the tea and toast sat by the bed, forgotten.

 **~M.K~**

"Is this a habit now? Staring at me in the morning?"

"Don't pretend you don't like it."

Aoko giggled as her husband tickled her nose with something familiar; soft to touch with a floral sweetness, she had no doubt that it was a rose. Cracking an eye open, she caught sight of Kaito, fully dressed and brimming with his usually flashy confidence, a single red rose twirling in his hand.

" _Bonjour_ ," she said, stretching the gentle ache in her arms. "What are we doing this m—Kaito? What's all this?"

Aoko's eyes widened to absorb the wonderment that Kaito had brought into their bedroom. She had never seen so many bouquets of roses all in one place since the day he proposed to her in front of the Clock Tower (it had made the newspapers and the news broadcasts on digital billboards). They crowded around a table piled with a wide assortment of food, silvery boxes, gift bags, sparkly balloons, and even giant, plush teddy bears. Beyond his usual brand of magic, Kaito was the kind of man who spared no expense to dazzle.

The air had never smelled so sweet.

"Oh, Kaito." Overwhelmed and emotional so early in the day, Aoko felt the tears well up and tried to dab them away without him noticing, but failed; his handkerchief was there in seconds. "Kaito, it's—it's—"

"A little over the top, but worth it," he said, blushing.

"Kaito, it's beautiful," Aoko insisted, resting her head against his chest. "Is the hotel going to be okay with all this?"

He chuckled. "Of all the things…" He kissed her forehead. "There's nothing to worry about, silly. Oh, and the best part." He shifted from the bed to the table for a silvery box and returned to her side. "Chocolates from Jacques Genin. He's considered the best chocolatier in the world. I got samples of everything in his shop."

"Or you just bought the shop," she murmured in awe, relishing in the sweet scent that enveloped the entire room. "You did this for me?"

Kaito lifted the box cover to reveal an assortment of fudges. He lifted one to her mouth to taste, and Aoko's eyes widened at the sweet burst of chocolate and mint and squealed with delight.

"Did it for all of us," he replied proudly, rubbing his hand gently across her midriff and helping himself to a random fudge. "I told you when I destroyed Pandora that I wanted a life with you. That bargain included _everything_."

Pure happiness flooded through her being. "Boy or girl?" she asked coyly, giggling as his fingers tickled her belly.

Kaito's grin was all but roguish. " _Both_."

It intrigued them both that such a simple word lit a fire beneath them. Aoko threaded her hand through his hair and tugged him down for a kiss. Kaito carefully discarded the box of sweets and wholeheartedly gave in to her temptations.

As it turned out, his new adventure with Aoko had already begun.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **I'm trying to stay out of my usual angst corner for a while. It probably won't last long, so I'm enjoying the fluff while it lasts. I hope everyone enjoys their Easter holiday. Kaito will probably prank Aoko's Easter sweets for April Fools. Wouldn't that be hilarious?**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	10. I'll Hold Them Back

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#_** ** _10_**

 **TITLE:** ** _I'll Hold Them Back_**

 **INSPIRED BY: ~** ** _Save Yourself, I'll Hold Them Back, by My Chemical Romance_**

 **~M.K~**

If it hadn't been for that gunshot, this would never have happened. It was supposed to have been a typical Kid Heist, not this precarious disaster.

It came as no surprise that when a wealthy benefactor decided to purchase an exquisite jewel from a foreign country and import it to Japan, a notice from Kaitou Kid would turn up to the press and the police HQ. In this case, the _Everlasting Teardrop_ had journeyed from France to end up on display at another prominent Kid Heist within four days of its arrival. Inspector Nakamori had gone to great lengths to secure the gem against any of Kid's magic tricks to the point that he had forgotten to eat breakfast and lunch.

The poor inspector was starving before the heist was set to begin.

It had been against his better judgment to let Aoko into the building after all that preparation, but he knew it would not be for long. Aoko had braved through a crowd of Kid's most devoted fanatics to get through security just to give her father a homemade bento. Two officers escorted her toward her father, both wearing solemn expressions along the way. The inspector stood near the doorway leading up to the gem. Smiling, she hurried to his side with eager spirits.

"Tou-san!" she called, clutching the bag firmly to her chest. "Here's your food. You're going to want your strength before the heist."

As if sensing that food was close by, Inspector Nakamoristomach let out a low, ferocious growl that caused the poor man to blush with embarrassment, especially when other officers whipped around in surprise. It sounded as though he had a lion for a stomach and it was worse when it began echoing through the hallways. Aoko tried not to giggle. Instead, she handed her father the bag and turned her gaze to the gem held on display in a bulletproof glass case.

 _The Everlasting Teardrop_ was a beautiful, deep royal blue gemstone piece, the most wondrous part of an exquisite golden necklace. It was far from small, perhaps the size of Aoko's hand. How anyone could wear it was a mystery. It was formed in the shape of a teardrop, and its iridescence reflected in the light, shimmering across the walls in the room as the reflection of the sun on the sea.

It was mesmerizing and majestic, being the most spectacular gem Aoko had ever witnessed in her life.

"Wow," she murmured softly to herself as her eyes drank in the radiance of the gem.

She could have stared at it forever, but the time was running short and it was time to lock the room down. The heist was set to begin within half an hour, and once Kid showed up, her father would set his fullest attention on capturing the infamous phantom thief. Aoko spared one last glance towards the gem before turning around and following the two officers who brought her to her father back to building entrance where she would join the crowd and cheer for her father's success.

Her other option would have been to go home and spend the evening with Kaito, maybe watch a movie together, or end up in another kissing frenzy on the couch where she would end up scolding him for his wandering hands and cheeky smirks. However, Kaito had gone on a trip to Okinawa with Jii and wouldn't be home in a few days. The thought of him made her heart flutter like the smitten girl she was.

Dating Kaito was something of a dream; though they had only officially been together a few months, it felt like two pieces of a puzzle finally coming together. Regardless of whether he made her want to rip her hair out, or his hair instead, everything about being with him made her feel alive.

A smile cropped up on her face at the thought, but it soon vanished when the unexpected happened. She was moments away from the front doors before everything in the building went out of control. She should have known then, that something wasn't right. Something bad was about to happen.

And the awful omen in her stomach terrified her to the bone.

 **~M.K~**

The heist hadn't gone as planned.

Bullets had rained from the moment the precious jewel was touched by the fine silk of Kaitou Kid's glove. In the chaos, Aoko had spotted him disappearing into the stairwell and without hesitation, her blood pulsing with fear and determination, she raced after him, racing past her father who called after her in alarm, only to realize after whom she had taken chase and hastened to join her.

It was only later on that she wished she never followed him.

"AOKO!" she heard her father yell from the lower levels of the stairwell. She barely glanced down when suddenly the sound of gunfire blazed into the air again. She felt something sting at her feet, like ricocheting metal, and her instincts took over. She ran with her heart in her hands against all odds. Pure shock and terror had possessed her shaking limbs.

"Get down!"

Aoko yelped as someone grabbed her by her shoulders and yanked her out of harm's way, just as a stream of bullets shot directly at her back. Smooth, leathery material pressed over her mouth, concealing the scream ready to pierce the tense air around them. A long, dark cloak was thrown over her head and shoulders, shielding her from sight as her captor concealed her in a shadowy corner. Heart hammering, she looked up and her eyes widened.

It was Kaitou Kid, half-hidden in shadows. He held his finger to his lips, a sign of silence, before releasing her mouth and moving away.

"Stay there and don't move, Nakamori-san," he said swiftly. "They won't see you if they're following me."

And without another word, he flew off into the open space, long enough to catch the attention of whoever had decided to have a gun gala in the building and fly up the stairwell with a step so light he really could have been a phantom. Without hesitation, whoever was after him followed his lead and ignored that Aoko was even there. Frozen to the floor, she took a shaky breath, gazing down at where he had stashed her. She was in a darkened corridor with no windows, and with no light to illuminate her form, shrouding her with a black cloak had been the perfect disguise.

' _He protected me,_ ' she thought numbly. ' _They would have killed me, but he protected me…_ '

A little voice in the rational corner of her terrified mind reminded her that Kid had a code of conduct: no harm would be inflicted on others during his heists. He was known to put himself in danger to protect innocents, regardless of what they thought of him.

Her brain slowly clicked into place as the sound of gunshots knocked the reality of the situation back to the forefront of her mind. Her entire body was electrified with terror. In the whole of her life, she had never been witness to such a horrific assault on any Kid Heist. Everyone knew that someone had been tailing the infamous thief for months, attacking only him as far as anyone was ever concerned and never the Task Force, but this was different. She could hear the screaming _outside_ now. Were they targeting the public audience as well?

Who were they? What did they want? Where was her father? Was he injured? Where had Kid disappeared to?

 _The roof_. That nagging little thought answered the only question it could: Kid almost always went to the roof.

She didn't know what possessed her to move to the stairwell and continue her ascent; there were gunmen above her and below her. She should have just stayed there, but she had a feeling that safety only lasted if someone didn't accidentally find her or shoot her with that random gunfire. Even in darkness, she was still exposed. She highly doubted her cloak was bulletproof.

Still shrouded in his black cloak, her shaky legs finally brought her to the final landing. Across the long corridor, she saw the outline of another stairwell, just as she heard the sound of her father yelling at Kid. He must have taken that other route to get here. Her hammering heartbeat was far too painful in her chest; she rushed to the door, only to freeze when she heard Kid's voice.

"Leave the inspector out of this, Snake," Kid said firmly. "This is between you and me."

The dark chuckle that responded sent a shiver down Aoko's spine.

"He heard us speak of Pandora, you fool," the voice said. Aoko didn't know anyone could have such malice in their voice. "As if we could ever let him go."

Fear had turned her entire being into an Aoko-shaped ice pop. Did those words imply what she feared they did?

"It's quite a public risk you've taken," Kid commented. "It's certainly not a feat that the media would ever overlook. Either you have grown exceedingly desperate, or—"

"Quit your chattering, Kid, or I'll blow his brains out," the menacing voice warned. Aoko choked softly, pressing her icy hands over her white lips "Hand over the jewel, and it'll be a quick bullet to the heart. For the both of you."

There was a brief pause. But for Aoko, it was an eternity.

"I suggest an alternative," Kid said coolly. "Let Nakamori-keibu go first, and I hand over the jewel once I know he's out of the way. Otherwise…" There was a sudden round of yelling that burned through Aoko's frozen being. "Ah, ah! Be careful. You wouldn't want me dropping this lovely piece, now would you?"

That was it. She refused to stand by and not know what was happening to her father and Kid. Holding her breath, Aoko peeked through the open doorway at the scene on the roof. There were at least three men standing there with her father and Kid. Inspector Nakamori was held down on the ground by two men in black while the third pointed a gun towards the ledge. Four bodies were motionlessly sprawled on the ground by her father, each wearing a Task Force member uniform. Aoko shivered in horror. Were they dead? A flicker of movement caught her eye; it was Kid, standing on the ledge, holding the _Everlasting Teardrop_ over the side.

From this particular building, Aoko vaguely recalled, there was a river only a mere jumping distance away. Not only was Kid threatening to drop it, he was threatening to toss it into a place where it may be lost forever. All for the sake of keeping their attention on him.

Whoever these men were, they were threatening her father's life. Kid was bargaining to save him. In the distance, he heard the trampling sound of boots on the stairwells, and the distance voices that came with them.

They sounded like the rest of the Task Force coming up to the roof.

"We've been over this, Kid," the man with the gun. Snake, was it? It was certainly his voice that contained that godawful malice. "We don't negotiate with troublemakers. You should have heeded our warning and stayed away from jewels. Your predecessor was just as insolent."

"'My predecessor'?" There was a sudden edge in Kid's tone. "You mean the man you _murdered_? I'm only fulfilling his wishes. As if I would ever let you gain the power Pandora could give you."

Aoko's eyes widened as the shaft of his gun immediately pointed at her father.

"Your choice on how he dies, then," Snake said. "Brain or heart. You have five seconds. Four. One."

 _"No!"_

Aoko had shot through the door in seconds, Kid's cloak slipping off her shoulders as all eyes turned to her. She couldn't even look at her father as he exclaimed her name in fear. Instead, her gaze was fixed on the man wearing a dark overcoat and fedora; his most prominent feature was a large horseshoe mustache. That and the fact that his gun was now pointed at her.

Aoko never heard her father's scream of terror.

She never heard the gun go off. The world had gone still around her, and all she could think about was the clock tower. Of standing in front of it on a busy afternoon, waiting for her father to pick her up. Of a little boy with a cheeky grin saddling up to her and giving her a pretty rose from thin air. Of making her scream and smile and laugh ever since.

"Kaito," she whispered hoarsely as the man pulled the trigger.

Her whole body went numb. She felt herself crash to the ground, her vision overwhelmed by the sight of glittering stars in the night sky around a full, bright moon. Only she hadn't fallen because she'd been shot.

She'd fallen because someone had pushed her to the ground.

Her breath hitched when she recognized the gleaming white suit above her. Tall, slender, and partially concealed with shadows, the infamous phantom thief towered above her, completely still as the Task Force bounded through the open doorway, some to disarm and arrest the gunmen, the others to surround Kid and prevent him from escaping. Except, he didn't run. He simply stood there and stared down at her in shock.

Then she saw him stagger.

"Oh," she heard him say before he collapsed beside her.

Aoko's entire being was uncooperative. Her eyes trailed on Kid as he sprawled out beside her, one hand tightly gripped on the _Everlasting Teardrop_ , and the other trembling as it clutched at his heaving chest. Her heart quickened at the sight of bright scarlet fluid dripping on his white gloves. From his chest, the pooling bloodstain spread and spread until it was soaking the ground beside him, casting a dark stain trickling toward her.

Aoko had seen Kid bleed before, on the day the both of them had been kidnapped and forced to solve their way out of their imprisonment. He had been stabbed and had pushed through the pain to get them both out. But he wasn't doing that this time. He lay there, perhaps as shell-shocked as she was, breathing harshly as his fingers grappled with his chest. He was losing blood too rapidly.

Aoko felt two warm hands grab her shoulders. "Aoko! Aoko!" It was her father.

"I'm fine," she said disbelievingly. "You—Kid—"

Kid coughed, flecks of blood splattering his face. "Well, Nakamori- _keibu_ , it looks—like I won't—get away—this time…"

He coughed so hard that Aoko could have sworn he was trying to hack up a lung. Blood dripped from the corners of his mouth as his top hat fell sideways, revealing a full head of messy hair. Even with the monocle, there was truly no mistaking the face hidden beneath the brim of that hat.

Something inside Aoko's heart vanished. The world truly was a cruel place. Even Inspector Nakamori exclaimed in shock at the sight of the young man spitting blood and convulsing on the ground. He squeezed his eyes tightly together, so hard that the monocle slipped off his eye to reveal the full image of such a handsome, clammy face.

The same face that made her heart race with hope and love every time she saw it.

"Kaito?" Aoko whispered in dismay. "N-No! He's in Okinawa! Are you wearing his face _again?!_ What the hell's the matter with you?!"

Kid fought to breathe. "If only… Aoko…"

The thought refused to click. Between memory and denial, Aoko couldn't bring herself to accept the oncoming storm building up inside herself. Of the time she had been alone with him, confused as to why Kid had been so good at intimidating her best friend, down from his scent to his breathing. Kaito had claimed to be perfectly fine when she next saw him, with no signs of injury or that he knew what had happened to her.

Kid and Kaito were two different people.

Somehow, the lie sounded too feeble to believe this time.

There was no way that Kid knew how Kaito looked at her... like she was precious and infuriating all at once; how that smirk would move to the side like that when he knew she was trying to figure him out; how he would whisper her name like it was prayer.

"No," she said to herself. "No…No. No, no, you can't be!"

Aoko's hands moved before her brain could follow, and she found herself trying to staunch the wound on his chest, so close to his heart that all Aoko's instincts were screaming at her that the shot had done more damage than she had initially thought.

He winced at the pressure, staring up at the night sky.

"Aoko," he said, his voice no longer deeper or smoother. A little hoarse and lighter. It was all Kaito Kuroba. Her best friend. Her boyfriend. Kaitou Kid.

"Call for an ambulance!" Inspector Nakamori screamed at his subordinates as the gunmen were dragged away. He glared at the young man in white, more horrified than angered. Without thinking about it, he grabbed onto the thief's bloody cheek and gave it a sharp tug.

"AH!" Kaito yelped in pain, the corners of his eyes watering.

It sealed all confirmation.

Neither father nor daughter knew what to say before another officer broke free from the unit and rushed to their side, his expression absolutely delirious as his hands joined Aoko's in the attempt to stop the bleeding.

"Watanabe-san, what are you—?" the inspector began, but the officer completely ignored him.

"Botchama!" he exclaimed frantically. "Botchama, please hold on!"

Aoko gaped; she knew that old voice. " _Jii-san?_ " she squeaked disbelievingly.

"This can't happen again! Not again!" Jii continued without hearing her. "Toichi-sama would never forgive me, or Chikage-sama!"

Kaito gave him a grim but bloody smile, as feeble as it was. "You're wrong… Jii-chan…"

Nothing in the world made sense anymore, from the screaming around her to the helicopters overhead. _Her_ Kaito was Kaitou Kid? His father's former assistant was his _accomplice_? The old man who ran that bar? Kaito's _mother_ knew about this? And what was that about his late father? Her own father's rampaging questions fell on deaf ears as Kaito weakly raised his hand toward the disguised Jii, the gem glimmering between them.

"Jii-chan," Kaito said hollowly. "I have to know… is it—Pandora? Snake was that desperate. He… really believed it…" Jii froze, completely distraught, as Kaito forced the gem into his hands. "Please… Jii-chan…"

The older man wheezed out a mournful wail as he lifted the gem toward the night sky.

"What are you doing?" Inspector Nakamori demanded. His contorted expression, filled with every ounce of emotion blazing through Aoko, diminished at the sight that came to their eyes.

For a moment, the gem gleamed in the moonlight, practically untainted by Kaito's blood, but then, from its very core, a burning spark of crimson light burst to life, bleeding from the center until the outline of a bright red jewel glimmered ethereally from within the outer gem. The glow bathed over Kaito, casting his white suit to dark pink and faintly blue. There was something beautiful and utterly wrong about looking at it.

Kaito let out a low, hysteric laugh, his teeth stained with his blood.

"Ironic," he choked out. "The day—I finally find—what I've been—looking for… I die." He laughed weakly. "Should have—seen that—coming…"

Jii reached up a shaking hand and ripped the mask of Watanabe's face from his own, revealing the worn and heartbroken face of Kaito's guardian and friend. Tears streaked down his face as he placed the gem back in Kaito's hand, only for it to be refused.

"D-Destroy it!" Kaito wheezed. "There's more of them—more like Snake… Destroy it... Jii-chan."

"Botchama, don't talk like that!" Jii pleaded. "The ambulance is on its way!"

But Kaito was growing paler by the second. In their hearts, they knew it wouldn't make it in time. Even now, beneath Aoko's fingers, she felt the beat of his heart weaken. Her hands were coated with his blood. How the hell was this even happening? Was this all a bad dream? She hadn't taken notice of her own tears until Kaito lifted his straining hand to brush them off her cheek.

"Hey, don't," he said softly. "Don't, Aoko."

"Shut up, Bakaito!" Aoko screamed at him. "Just a few more minutes and—"

She choked on the thought. She couldn't say it.

Kaito's eyes flickered, dazed. "I'm sorry… Aoko… Maybe one day… you'll forgive me…?"

The pain twisting in her chest flooded through her veins as the lights in his eyes began to dim.

"Don't you dare!" she yelled at him. "Kaito, look at me! Look at me, you idiot!"

He coughed again. "My Aoko… my Aoko," he whispered, the tiniest bead of a tear creeping up in the corner of his eye as they met hers. Blue as sapphires. Bluer than the bloodied gem in Jii's hands. His hand brushed lightly against her chin as his gaze fell passed her. His eyes widened.

"Oyaji?"

Aoko's lips trembled. Kaito had gone very still. From the warmth on his chest, his heartbeat grew steadily softer until…nothing. There was nothing. His eyes peered up at her thoughtlessly, unmoving and unknowing.

"Kaito…? No, Kaito, look at me!" Aoko's trembling hands clamped to either side of his face, uncaring of the streaks she left behind. "Say something! _Kaito look at me!_ "

She could almost see it, that regret peeking through his poker face. Her eyes were fixed on him, frightened of the handsome, terrible face she had known since childhood. His mouth, stained with blood, was absent of his teasing words or ardent kisses; no laughter or smirking or tears. The face of the man she loved had been defiled by a truth she couldn't accept. Inspector Nakamori held his daughter as she screamed at the phantom in her arms, begging him to say something.

Anything.

But he said nothing as the light died from his eyes, unknowing of the tears and fury in hers.

Kid had a code of conduct: no harm would be inflicted on others during his heists.

Why couldn't that code have included Kaito?

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **Aaaaand I've returned to my angst corner. Sorry guys. Especially for killing Kaito. Again.**

 **The heist originally had more detail, but it got so long that I thought it would never end, so I cut it down a lot. Essentially, while it would seem that this chapter was inspired by chapter one, it's actually the other way around. I originally discarded this draft around that time but I came back to it and decided to try and clean it up.**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	11. Shatter Me

**DI** **SCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#11_**

 **TITLE:** ** _Shatter Me_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ Shatter Me, by Lindsey Stirling ft. Lzzy Hale ~_**

 **~M.K~**

Love, in reality, was a sensation that fell prey to corruption and desolation. Love, in dreams, was a cascade of wonders beholding whimsical tales of romance and valiance and blissful endings. Perhaps it was the innocent romantic in her heart, but the latter had an appeal that was quite challenging to dismiss.

In her world, there were no knights in shining armor to sweep her into a frenzy of fantasies. In her wake were men whose charms lost their finesse and grew cold to the touch. Where had the passion gone? To the sound of her ear had laughter faded and in her eyes had the sparks dimmed. From lover to lover, the theme survived through the passing seasons, and ultimately she comprehended why it persisted.

Sweetness to sourness, adoration to fury, joy to sorrow, exhilaration to boredom, color to gray, the cycle was never-ending in search of a hopeless dream in reality. In hindsight, perhaps their faults were accentuated in the sense that they were ordinary, driven by ambitions expected of their status, and not by a sense of whimsicality and spontaneity.

Perhaps therein lay her greatest downfall: the search for the vanished half of her heart, embedded with a spectrum of mischievousness and merriment. It cried out to the soul who threw her world into a frenzy of chaos, infuriating and marvelous, and unyielding to a sane world. This deck of hearts spurned the prince and implored the mercy of the joker, the wildest card of the pack. Unpredictable and wholesomely wonderful.

Yet it was the sensations that gave her that taste of life. By conscience, her remorse knew no limits. To walk between worlds was the ultimate curse to behold. To weave herself into reality and fall victim to the cycle tore every wall she had to rubble and ash. To drift into dreams and fall victim to the desires she truly craved woke her to a world encumbered with that shattered spectrum of emotion.

She held no resistance to the memory of his gleaming eyes or knavish lips, enraptured in a sin she pledged forever to disavow.

There were no others who could replicate or surpass the spirit he left inside her, or erase her desire for his presence beside her; a presence she had cast away from tethering her being to a life so cruel.

The lingering ivory form of his ghost haunted her world, seen, heard, but untouched, a constant reminder that the dream she coveted was beyond her reach.

Sourness to sweetness, fury to adoration, sorrow to joy, boredom to exhilaration, gray to color, that trickster had always swayed her in reverse to the existence that reality had dealt her. There was no world in which such a burning love could endure. It was nothing but a forbidden gesture of passion for one whose heart was besmirched by deceit. Whose cunning lips told tales of grandeur and miracles. Whose crafty touch shattered through her being, playing with the exquisite heart shattered from its shining casing, another precious gem stolen beneath the moonlight.

Love had woven her crimson cord to a fate entwined with secrets and lies. Her dreams were scattered across a kingdom governed by a forbidden affair and a worrisome ending. Perhaps it was the enlightened romantic in her heart, but there was only ever one true love for her, regardless of the burden weighed between them. Unrelenting to the truth, she opposed granting him absolution. Their fates were sealed between two worlds, incapable of converging into eternity.

Glistening from chaos woven black and blue, love was beautiful as it was wicked. Was it not his solemn oath to shroud himself in magic without her? Was it not her misfortune to loathe a phantom hidden in darkness? Failed lover to lover, the theme persisted, and ultimately she accepted the truth. Their hearts were forever intertwined in their unrequited dreams.

That was their shattered reality.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **Aren't I a ball of sunshine?**

 **Nearing the end of the semester, I hope I can put more into these stories. I feel like assignments sap my creativity these days.**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	12. Love Me Like You Do

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#_** ** _12_**

 **TITLE:** ** _Love Me Like You Do_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ Love Me Like You Do, by Ellie Goulding ~_**

 **~M.K~**

Would Kaito Kuroba describe himself as a jealous man? Sometimes, but never aloud. Regardless of the situation, he had an innate ability to turn anything against him in his own favor. Would Kaitou Kid call himself suicidal? Despite risking his life for heists and the possibility of being murdered, no, he wouldn't. Though in this case, he probably was.

It had been seven years from the beginning of his journey, and the elusive, internationally wanted Phantom Thief had yet to be caught by the Police Task Force headed by Inspector Ginzo Nakamori. A clear reputation had blotted his way from jewel to jewel and multiple encounters with Snake and a variety of his colorful and unruly subordinates.

Life as he had known it had changed since he discovered the truth of who his father had been before he died. He had continued his jewel larceny in search of Pandora with limited success in tracking its history, whether rumored or fabled and its possible locations. If he had to steal every prized gem in the world, he was sure he wouldn't retire before his thirtieth year.

As Kaito Kuroba, life had grown equally as complicated. He had graduated top of his class in high school and dove into his magical performances, which blew his audiences away. The real trick that caught him off guard was falling in love with the one woman who hated his alter ego the most.

Aoko Nakamori was an enigma that drove Kaito insane, but he wouldn't have her any other way. Lovely in her own right, and a late bloomer to boot, Kaito's heart would badger him from time to time at the sight of her gleeful smiles or laughs, or when that fire in her eyes blazed brightly from her own determination.

To reach where they were now had been no easy feat.

Kaito Kuroba was a household name for magical wonders, touring the country and stunning his audiences with delights to make his own father proud. Aoko Nakamori was a budding officer in the fraud division where her father was stationed, with a bright future in the police force. On the outside, everyone saw the bizarrely comical friendship of a cheeky troublemaker extraordinaire and a respectable law enforcer.

Yet beneath those layers was a life that would have given Aoko's father a heart attack. And they knew it, too.

Kaito had been certain that his life had come to an end the day that Aoko had discovered the truth of his nighttime activities. The risk of permanent heartache had weighed on them both. Yet through the tears and screaming and bludgeoning, and the long uncertainty that their future together had been forever unraveled, they had found their way into this compromise. To avenge Kaito's father and drag that Organization from the shadows. To destroy Pandora and leave this life behind. To start something new together that would change their lives forever.

Love was love, even if it turned their world inside out and upside down.

For Kaito, separating his dual identities had become trickier when his girlfriend enlisted in her father's Task Force against Kaitou Kid. Truth be told, she had done it to keep an eye on him and protect him should Snake appear and attempt to assassinate him again. Not that he approved whatsoever. Should she ever cross that line of fire, Kaito would never forgive himself.

It was a task easier said than done, but not one that either was willing to let go.

And in times like this, Kaito was certain that Aoko Nakamori had strung him so tightly around her fingers that common sense ventured to the backseat when caught unawares. Such a beautiful, stubborn, intelligent, and infuriating woman, Kaito often found himself unwilling to resist her charms.

She was the only woman who could work her magic on him.

 **~M.K~**

Would Aoko Nakamori describe herself as a mischievous woman? Only when she wanted to be. Years of growing up with a troublemaker for a best friend had taught her that the best fun was the kind that no one could see coming. Would Detective Nakamori call herself insubordinate? Not if she could help it. Though in this case, she probably wouldn't bear any blame for the events that occurred in that _particular_ heist.

Aoko was a popular member of her father's Task Force. Quick-witted and hard-working, Aoko had built a steady reputation from her earliest years in the workforce. Almost always one of the first to arrive at the office in the morning and one of the last to leave at night, Aoko managed to incorporate a hectic work-life with a graceful social-life for at least forty-percent of the year.

Inspector Nakamori could hardly deny that his daughter had become a strong-willed and beautiful young lady. Without his consent, the other young men in the task force had also taken notice of the busy-body that was the inspector's daughter. It was without question that she received a fair number of date proposals from a few considerable hopefuls from different divisions at HQ, but each had always been turned away, a cause from the smallest and irrevocable fact.

Her heart had been stolen long ago and that thief was always near. Not that the world was allowed to know. The possible danger it could unleash shook the lovers to the core, silencing their secret between their lips, and their lips only.

For Aoko, some secrets were worth keeping. She knew Kaito's heart. For all his thieving and trickery, he had a code of conduct never to harm others. For all the sorrow he held inside, he brought as much joy to the world as he could, because laughter was the power of life. They made an odd pair, a criminal, and a police officer, sharing secluded dates, dinners, and beds when the world was fast asleep. Yet, for every moment his lips found hers or their eyes held each other, she knew in her soul she had made the right decision for them both.

Perhaps the thrill of their secret had become addicting. The excitement that graced the heists after Aoko's enlistment had become irritatingly obvious to the inspector, but not for the obvious reasons. He was relieved that his respectable daughter could resist the charms of the elusive gentleman thief but was entirely irked that the wretched man continued to flirt with her at every encounter.

Not that Aoko would ever divulge the truth of the matter to him. The chances that he would be the one to kill Kaito instead of Snake would skyrocket.

 **~M.K~**

Those chances were tested on latest of Kid's gaudy heists in Beika.

The mission of the Task Force had been simple, considering that the event was, once again, arranged by Adviser Jirokichi Suzuki. A good number of the officers had been assigned undercover roles to mingle with the white-tie crowd. Aoko was rarely ever given the chance to doll up within the past few months. What she chose to wore was nothing glamorous, considering her comfort and ease to do her job was necessary over looking pretty.

That wasn't to say she hadn't caught any eyes. She had worn it to test Kaito's attention since he loved seeing her in deep, royal blue.

Weaving through the crowd, she smiled kindly at the other guests and accepted the compliments of her fellow officers as she made her rounds. She recognized the familiar faces of the Suzuki family and their frequently invited friends. The revealed Kid Killer and his wife stood to the side, admiring the crowning jewel of the night, the _Weeping Widow._

The twenty-five-carat necklace was made of benitoite amounting to a little over one million yen and glinted from its bulletproof case guarded by ten of her father's best subordinates. It was one of Adviser Suzuki's _cheaper_ displays, apparently. The likelihood that it was Pandora was slim, but Kaito never refused a chance to spar with the elder man and the Kid Killer.

The prickling of smoldering eyes followed her path through Kid's impending audience. Aoko had long learned to sense the presence of her beloved in a crowd, whether he chose to wear his own face or the face of another. It was a secret she told not even him; it gave her comfort to know he was close by and she wouldn't let him spoil it.

"Aoko-san!" Aoko turned at the sound of her name and recognized her fellow colleague in his black-tie getup for blending into the crowd.

"Mizaki-kun!" she said, returning his smile politely. "Is it my turn to patrol the west wing again?"

"Uh, no, it's Kenichi-kun's," he replied, blushing beside her. "You look lovely. Blue's really your color. I suppose that's to be expected, considering its in your name."

Aoko felt distinctly pleased. "Thank you. That's kind of you to say."

The modest dress certainly hugged her willowy frame in all the right places. With an ample flow allowed for flexible movement and a long length to disguise the boots on her feet for running, it was far from a uniform but lovely for her civilian appearance. Not to mention that it brought out the color of her eyes.

It seemed to have caught Mizaki's attention with those lingering, hopeful eyes. Aoko knew what that meant long before he opened his mouth, and she felt slightly guilty to have to disappoint him.

"I was wondering, Aoko-san," he said hesitantly. "Um, when it's all over if you would want to grab a late dinner? Kid wouldn't keep us all here more than an hour if he's just putting on a show."

Aoko gave an internal sigh. Mizaki had asked her to dinner twice before; she supposed the hopefulness hadn't faded easily.

"That's very sweet of you, Mizaki-kun," she said quietly, "but I'm afraid that I'm not— _available_ —in that capacity."

She hardly had time to register his crestfallen expression before she noticed a plump young man standing behind Mizaki smirking at the ground. A keen chill flooded through her. Then, without warning, the lights flickered and smoke exploded from the midst of the crowd. Several people screamed in alarm.

"Kid!" she exclaimed, even distracting her disappointed colleague. They immediately hurried off in the direction of the jewel as planned. To protect it from Kid as expected of her. Whoever said she had to make Kaito's job easy?

 **~M.K~**

It went down like clockwork, just as they'd planned. From the darkness, he appeared in his dazzling, snowy suit as Kaitou Kid before the audience of Adviser Suzuki's guests.

Charming was the smirk that adorned his face at the sound of his fan's excited cries and pleas for his attention. Calm was his voice in conversation with his adversary, the cured boy-returned-adult, Shinichi Kudo, the Kid Killer with an extraordinary past. Quick was the flick of his hand and the bombs that burst at their feet. Vanished was he from sight in the space of only a minute. Determined was the course of the young detective racing from the room after him.

"Damn you, Kid!" Aoko heard her father roar out. "All units-"

To his credit, getting the jewel had been the easy part, but escaping the building had been the real trick of the matter. Yet, with the help of Jii and a few copied blueprints, they ended up where they knew they would always be regardless of whatever challenges came their way.

On the roof.

The white-clad thief lounged leisurely on the railing, checking for Pandora with a lazy hand. Aoko frowned slightly as the flood of Task Force officers grew behind her and Kudo. That detour wasn't part of their plans. He was supposed to cause his distraction and leave.

"Hmm, well, I can't say I hoped," Kid said coolly, pocketing the jewel and standing smugly before them. "The lack of challenges was a letdown, to say the least."

"The night is young," Kudo said bracingly. "There's enough time to place you behind bars."

Kid laughed softly as Inspector Nakamori and Adviser Suzuki finally caught up with his daughter and Kudo, unabashed by his declarations to capture him. Instead, he retrieved the _Weeping Widow_ from his pocket and dangled it from his hands, watching the necklace swing back and forth like a pendulum.

It gave Aoko's heart unnecessary palpitations. Did he even know just how valuable that piece of jewelry was? Of course, he did but the way he acted, as though he didn't, rattled her nerves.

"I can assure you that this isn't the jewel I'm looking for," he said, tossing the necklace to Kudo who caught it with quick hands. "However, I'm afraid my heist has yet to meet its destined end."

Now Aoko was worried. What was he doing?

"Oh, and what would that be?" she asked, daring to move close enough that Kudo was no longer in front of her, but behind her. Kid was a mere few feet away now. "What more could a rascal like you want?"

Kid placed his hand over his heart. "I'm wounded, Nakamori-keiji," he said. "After all, thieves desire the greatest and most precious jewels in the world. I've found one far more valuable now."

"Whatever it is, you're not getting your hands on it!" Inspector Nakamori declared furiously.

"Oh, my dear inspector," Kid said lightly. "I hate to correct you, but I'm afraid that you are _quite_ mistaken."

Without so much as a warning, Aoko saw the smoke bomb too late.

 **~M.K~**

Kudo yelled out a warning as the smoke billowed up around them but gasped when he heard Aoko give out a cry of alarm and disappeared into the misty haze. It was only when the smoke began to clear that everyone on the roof realized that Aoko Nakamori was missing and that Kid's hand glider was already making a distance from them.

Tugging his night-vision glasses from his pocket, Kudo perched them on his nose and zoomed in on Kid's figure, his jaw dropping when he realized there was something—or rather _someone_ —lying in his arms.

"Where's Aoko?" Inspector Nakamori demanded desperately.

"Um…" Kudo's mouth went dry with nervousness. "You see…"

The inspector practically tore the glasses from Kudo's face and narrowed in on Kid, quickly coming to the same conclusions Kudo had seconds earlier. "A-AOKO?"

"Did Kaitou Kid just _kidnap_ Nakamori-keibu's _daughter_?" Adviser Suzuki exclaimed in disbelief.

"Yeah, he did," Kudo muttered, dumbfounded as they watched the inspector's face turn as red as beetroot.

 **~M.K~**

The people of Beika Town paused momentarily at the howling voice of fury belting out over their heads somewhere in the night.

 **~M.K~**

Aoko clung tightly to her boyfriend's neck as they flew in between the taller buildings to Kid's rendezvous point. The palpitations of her heart were hardly improved when that cunning smirk graced his smooth, pink lips.

"Are you insane?" she snapped at him. "Kaito, what the hell were you thinking?"

"I was thinking the night should end on a high note," he said teasingly.

They both stared at one another in surprise at the sound of Inspector Ginzo Nakamori's voice roaring into the night like a deranged opera singer.

"And how high were you when you made that decision?" she continued wryly.

His poker face almost broke with laughter. Her look of disapproval definitely gave him pause in his response. It wasn't like Kaito to act so impulsively unless he knew the outcome would fall in his favor. Aoko was sure the next heist would be far from pleasant.

"You shouldn't have done that," she added, pressing her head against his shoulder. "My father's going to kill you."

"Given he has no idea where you are, I highly doubt it," Kaito replied coyly, the skin beneath his suit burning as she moved her hand across his chest. "No one's interrupting us tonight."

Kaito's car was parked out of sight at the rendezvous point. Without even changing his clothes or setting Aoko on her feet, he placed her in the front seat, careful as not to rip her dress.

"Kaito, you know I have to go back!" Aoko insisted. "Kid's built a reputation longer than my arm. Abduction is going a little far, don't you think? I should have your head for that."

Kaito gave her a knowing grin. They both knew that, had Aoko truly been mad, he would already be running for his life down the street with her driving the car behind him. He removed his top hat and leaned toward her, caressing his gloved hand along her jawline.

"I can imagine something far more enjoyable," he whispered, kissing the nape of her neck. "You're ravishing, Aoko."

His smile widened when she shivered at the gentleness of his breath. At how his smooth lips skimmed along the curve of her neck to her shoulder. Her hand gripped onto his and all chances of her scolding him had diminished.

Aoko pressed her finger against his lips, recognizing the coyness in his eyes; of how that piercing gaze caressed her satin-sheathed body, from her demure dress to every curve it concealed; and in his desire, she saw sparks of what she could only call envy.

"And perhaps you were just jealous," she teased him, reaching for his top hat and placing it on her head. She gasped as he moved forward and pressed his lips to her neck again.

"Jealous? Me?" Kaito's eyes sparkled. She smelled sweet of vanilla and lavender. "Where's your proof, Nakamori-keiji?"

Aoko's head fell back against the car seat, her skin burning from every one of his kisses.

"Kidnapping me wasn't enough for you, Kaito?" Aoko's lips formed a sly smirk. "Perhaps I could accept Mizaki-kun's date proposal, then?"

The blush that tinged his sharp, handsome features was enough to elevate her heart rate again. Tossing his monocle aside and tipping the hat from her head, Kaito captured her lips with his own, taking long moments to savor their time until breath nearly abandoned them both.

"Behave, Kaito!" Aoko gasped in surprise, her arms grasping around his shoulders which shook with his laughter. He pressed her slender figure closer to his and kissed the tip of her nose. His blue eyes sparkled at the cute expression that adorned her face.

"I beg your pardon, my lady," he said, lowering his voice and planting his lips on that sensitive spot below her ear, relishing in the breathy moan that left her. "With such beauty to inspire me, how could I resist?"

He lifted a gloved hand to her neatly piled hair and carefully withdrew the heavy hairpins holding them together. His heart hammered as they fell in a messy frame around her glowing face. Her little pants only fueled the flame.

It was worth Inspector Nakamori's wrath to toss the jewel at Kudo after confirming it wasn't Pandora and literally sweeping the inspector's daughter off her feet and into the night. He was sure he'd be shot at come his next heist. It had truly been a suicidal move, he was certain of it. The next time he would sit with the inspector at dinner, he wondered how well his poker face would protect his amusement and worry.

"Resisting temptation hasn't been your forte lately," Aoko said, gazing at him with playful eyes. " _Bakaito_."

She giggled at the disgruntled noise he made. But her triumph waned when his mouth found hers and blissfully stolen her breath with a frenzy of heady passion, parting her lips and scrambling her focus until she thought her heart would fail her.

She whined fretfully and tugged at those stubborn buttons of his white jacket, clumsily trying to shrug it off his shoulders.

"Take it off," she demanded breathlessly.

"What's the magic word?" Kaito teased, his face flushed and his blue eyes and dark as night.

Aoko's sharp gaze never left him, her finger pressed along his clean-shaven jawline. " _Now!_ "

Kaito's mouth went dry.

 **~M.K~**

Aoko hoped that her appearance was not as disheveled as she imagined while she skirted around the dispersing crowd and presented her ID to the security of the building. Kaito had the decency to take her home to freshen up before bringing her back to the scene of the crime. Yet, she was sure she must have been a sight: hair loose, dress hem muddy, and wearing a black cloak, one of Kaito's tools for escaping into crowds.

Hopefully, she would look like she fought Kid off and escaped back to the heist site instead of someone who had had a rather enjoyable night with her boyfriend.

It was the preferred assumption since no one knew she had an official lover, and she didn't want her father to assume the idea that Kid had violated her. Technically, the reality had been that _she_ seduced _Kid_ in the end but she wasn't in the mood to give her father a heart failure by confessing that endeavor.

After all, a respectable officer of the law and notorious thieving criminal couldn't possibly be in love, right?

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **Nothing really new to report but I was hoping to get this chapter up earlier. What are the odds that Kaito's life is endangered more from Inspector Nakamori than Snake, really?**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	13. That Man

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#_** ** _13_**

 **TITLE:** ** _That Man_**

 **INSPIRED BY:** ** _~ That Man, by Caro Emerald ~_**

 **~M.K~**

Aoko quivered behind the doorway, blushing to the roots of her hair to the tips of her toes, and obvious compliment to the raging frenzy that was her heart. It wasn't as though this day wasn't awkward enough, all with the one bedroom mix-up wrought on when Chikage Kuroba booked them that getaway trip to Kyoto for Kaito's birthday. Even the hostess, a little old woman Aoko suspected was half-blind, thought they were married. She and Kaito had come to an understanding that, for their entire stay, the platform futon was for Aoko's use and he would sleep on the spare bedding from the cupboard. The idea of sharing a bed with him made it impossible to sleep at all.

If it hadn't been for the fact that he had gone out after dinner to only God knew where she would never have bothered to use the private open-air bath available to their room. She had assumed he was still gone when she arrived at the cozy onsen, prepared to relax in the heated water to her heart's content.

Instead, she had arrived in her very immodest towel to discover that he was already _in_ the bath, gazing out at the night sky. She had stared for a full twenty seconds at that oblivious young man, entirely in shock to realize his return when it dawned on her that he was as nude as she and every contour of his back and arms gleamed beneath the water droplets flecking his fair skin.

He hadn't yet comprehended her presence, which was fortunate; she had taken the opportunity to dive behind the door before he could catch her staring.

' _Jeez, that was a close one_ ,' she thought desperately.

Now there was a haphazard war raging in her head. Counting on his ignorance, she could have her relaxing bath tomorrow. On the other, she had never realized how nicely toned Kaito actually was and a part of her was _highly_ appreciative of it. Which, of course, did little to calm her poor heart.

' _What are you thinking?!_ ' she berated herself.

This was entirely inappropriate! She was going to have a serious discussion with Chikage when they got home. Aoko would never have dreamed of ending up in this situation. Well, not in the midst of reality, she realized with embarrassment; actual dreams were a different story when she had fallen for her ridiculous best friend and spent almost every day of her life with him. She peeked around the door's edge and discovered that he nettlesome dilemma had turned to face the open doorway, just enough for her to get a good look at his chest.

If possible, her blush darkened.

This was cruelty on behalf of Kaito's mother. What was that sneaky woman up to this time, arranging for her son and his _female_ best friend to stay in _one_ room and share practically _everything_ like a married couple? Childhood friends, yes, but they had boundaries! They were underage; shouldn't adults frown on that sort of decorum? The thought only served to cause her more stress. In all honesty, it wasn't as bad as it seemed; Aoko could just walk away and Kaito would never have been the wiser to know that she had been nearby, wrapped in a towel so short that he had no room to flip anything.

That last thought almost made her squeak.

However, her little thoughts of what Kaito might actually do if he caught her melted when she realized that he had occupied himself with something one wouldn't generally take to an onsen: a sparkler. He spiraled it in ringlets, smiling at the streaks from the sparks. Did he buy those when he went out?

"What are you doing?" she asked without thinking.

She almost slapped herself in the face when Kaito's head whipped toward her and caught sight of her semi-hidden form by the doorway. His smiling lips fell open to gape at her. Between the two of them, she wondered, in a daze, who would achieve the creation of a new shade of red.

"A-Aoko?" he stuttered disbelievingly, a low, nervous chuckle escaping his lips. "I'm not sure if I should argue with this birthday present or not…"

Decidedly, it was Aoko who achieved the creation.

" _YOU IDIOT!_ " she practically screamed at him. " _Don't look, Bakaito!_ "

Instinctively, Kaito lurched backward, and a splash of water instantly doused his sparkler.

"Okay, easy, I was just kidding!" he said defensively, scratching the side of his face as his fluttering eyes darted to the nearest shrubbery. "Jeez, grow a funny bone, will you?"

Aoko huffed, tugging a stray lock of her dark hair.

"There's nothing funny about it!" she snapped. "What are you doing here? I thought you'd gone out!"

Kaito shrugged, the droplets on his skin glimmering. "I did, and now I'm back. That's not a crime, is it? You're not the only one staying in this room, remember?"

It wasn't as though she could easily forget, now could she?

"You know what? Never mind," she stated stonily. "I'm going now."

But she had taken only a few short steps (stomps would be more accurate) when Kaito cleared his throat.

"Uh, while you're here, could you pass me that bag?" he asked, still pointedly staring at the shrubbery. " _Please?_ It's out of my reach."

There was a little black bag on the stool beside it, a short way out of reach that would require him to get out of the bath if he wanted it. Why he even put it so far away was beyond her. Aoko felt like dying at the thought of him even standing up and not… well… being properly covered.

Groaning with frustration, she stomped over to the stool and snatched the bag up, not caring about the danger that happened when she carelessly approached the bath edge and dropped it on the outlining stone rim. Before either of them could fathom the idea, Aoko slipped on the watery wooden planks as she turned to leave and promptly fell into the onsen with a squeal and a loud _splash!_

The sudden heat was numbing after shivering in the cool night air in a skimpy towel. Her mind and body flailed with panic, her senses overwhelmingly befuddled in their effort to regain control but all she could manage was a feeling of vertigo. Heated water pressed in around her, muffling all sound to her ears and air to her lungs. She faintly registered a pair of strong arms encircling her waist and tugging her upward, breaking her head past the water's surface; she yelped, gasping for air.

"Aoko!" Kaito exclaimed, panicked. "You okay? Aoko!"

Aoko gripped on his forearms as tightly as she could, spluttering out hot bath water and choking as she struggled to breathe. Kaito's hold was firm, preventing her from keeling over into the water again or blacking out from the sudden rush of heat. Some part of her registered that he had pulled her back against his chest; his heartbeat was as hard as hers.

"Aoko!" he repeated urgently.

"I-I'm fine," she choked out, leaning her head back on his shoulder as her lungs finally began operations as usual. The chilly night had melted into a fuzzy warmth as her skin adjusted to the changing temperature. Her heart slowed as she realized she was in no immediate danger of hurting herself. It could have been worse. She could have hit her head on the onsen's edge.

"Jeez, don't go scaring me like that, _Ahoko_!" Kaito complained, his warm breath tickling her ear.

Aoko turned to glare at him and froze in alarm. She found herself nose-to-nose with him, so close that she could smell his mint toothpaste and a bit of his pine soap. A new wave of heat flushed through her body at the horrifying realization that she had lost her towel somewhere in the fall, and that his arms were fully encased around her; she and Kaito were definitely NOT in the most platonic position.

She automatically crossed her arms over her chest, right beneath his left arm gripping across her collarbone.

She watched as his irritation slowly melted into confusion, and then to astonishment. Her eyes caught sight of his tightening jaw and his widening blue eyes, glimmering like sapphires in the moonlight. She would have been awed had she not been so mortified at being in this situation.

"Uh…" Kaito managed, his breath uneven and his Adam's apple bobbing nervously. His eyes flickered across her face, probably watching the rosy blush that had retaken her cheeks, mirroring that embarrassed blush he currently wore. Aoko could have screamed, but her treacherous mouth seemed to have lost its voice.

All they could do was stand there like idiot statues.

Their hearts were racing each other, both caught in a frenzy too difficult to differentiate from one another. His hold was strong and his skin was soft over lithely defined muscle. Had he grown taller? When did he become so well toned? Why wasn't she pushing him off her like a sane human being?

"K-Kaito, I… I c-can stand n-now," she stuttered breathlessly, her entire being starting to reach a combination of 'fight' and 'flight' now that 'freeze' was wearing off. Best friend or not, Kaito was a male and there were limits in their friendship. He was too close and she couldn't trust that she wouldn't do something stupid.

Aoko was sure they would never be able to look one another in the eyes ever again. She half expected him to smirk at her, make some cheeky innuendo to piss her off and reset the moment like it never happened; maybe she'd try to drown him for it. What she didn't expect was for his eyes to darken with a gaze both unfamiliar and highly intense.

A shudder passed through her being that had nothing to do with the night air. Was he…?

Aoko stumbled forward as Kaito quickly withdrew his arms from around her and took a step back, his eyes peering off at anything else but her. His entire expression had gone blank, unreadable as stone. He ran his hand through his dark, wet hair. It sprayed upward in an impossibly messier disarray. Aoko sank lower into the bath until the water had come up to her collarbone. It didn't help that her skin was imprinted with the feeling of his touch in that exact place.

"I'll, uh, leave you to it," he said awkwardly, wading to the bath's edge and grabbing his towel. Aoko averted her eyes as he stepped out of the onsen, wrapped it securely around his waist, grabbed the black bag he had asked for, and waddled toward the bedroom. "I'll get you another towel."

Aoko was tempted to just plunge herself back beneath the water and stay there.

The embarrassment was going to kill her! What the hell was she thinking? There was no way Kaito was remotely interested in her! For all she knew, their friendship could have just been ruined! Kaito liked curvier girls and Aoko was a pale stick. It wasn't as though he really made a move on her. In fact, he seemed eager to run away.

She ignored the hurt that came with it.

"Here." She flinched as Kaito returned, garbed in a long, fluffy white robe, rest a folded towel on one of the larger stones. "I put a robe as well, in case you wanted it."

"Thanks," Aoko said quietly. She couldn't look at him.

Maybe it was her imagination, but he lingered there for a few seconds, as if unsure to leave. But with a light sigh, he turned around and disappeared back into their room, leaving her alone again. With her desire to take a bath long diminishing and an instant impulse to just go home arising, Aoko dipped herself beneath the water's surface to retrieve her first towel and wrung it out at the onsen's edge. Then she climbed out and put on the robe, using the fresh towel to dry her hair.

Could she even go back in there? Aoko had never really been shy around Kaito since childhood, but this was a completely different situation. Flipping her skirt didn't count; all he ever glimpsed was her underwear before she commenced her skull-cracking mop technique.

It was difficult to choose between running away and killing him.

' _Oh, just stuff it!_ ' Aoko snapped at herself. ' _You're a Nakamori! We don't run away! We face our troubles head on and beat them if we have to!_ '

Aoko took a deep breath and marched into the bedroom. It was absent of Kaito. Knees shaking, she approached the closed sliding door and opened it by a few inches, peering into the dining area, where the remaining half of his boxed birthday cake sat innocently on the table. He wasn't there either. He must have gotten dressed and left again.

It was probably for the best that she didn't have to face him yet.

 **~M.K~**

Kaito's absence persisted for the remainder of the evening and well after Aoko had prepared for bed. It was a little past eleven when she finally snuggled under the warm sheets and prayed for dreamless sleep. It never came. Instead, Aoko found herself haunted by the feeling of Kaito's touch all over again. After all these years of being prodded, hugged, wrestled, and held by Kaito, this time had an effect she feared would never be forgotten. Little inescapable thoughts puzzled over the possibility of wandering hands and stealing kisses, just enough that Aoko threw the sheets over her head to hide her crimson face from the world.

If her father ever found out about this, they were both dead.

Rustling trees and crashing waves on the distant beach interrupted the silence clouding around her, occasionally accompanied with the frequent fall of a bamboo water pipe outside. It was nearing midnight when Aoko's anxious thoughts about the Incident coincided with her worry that something might have happened to Kaito. He had left no messages for her about where he had disappeared to and he should have been back by now. Kaito wouldn't have taken out the spare bedding if he planned on sleeping somewhere else.

A combination of curiosity and apprehension trenched the young Nakamori from her comforting covers to inspect the room outside.

Fingers trembling from the cold, Aoko knelt beside the door and pushed it open with a delicate touch, barely even making a single sound. In the shadows, her keen eyes recognized his lithe, lean figure curled up on the ground atop what must have been the spare bedding.

How long had he been there, she wondered.

Like earlier, he was twirling around a lit sparkler, drawing all sorts of nonsense in midair. Some shapes resembled the four suits of a card deck, a rabbit popping out of a hat, flying birds, Aoko's name, a rose…

The hiding girl blinked.

There were random things. Images and words of friends and places they would go together growing up. There was really nothing fancy other than the number of times he had written her name in kanji, hiragana, and even English.

"If you wanted one, all you had to do was ask."

Aoko almost fell flat on her back. Kaito hadn't even turned around, but she could hear that smirk in his voice. He must have known she was there all along. Surprisingly, the feverish embarrassment from earlier didn't send her reeling in the hopes that he would just ignore her. She just felt a bit guilty.

"Jeez," she sighed to herself. She got caught _again_. At least this time, they were both wearing clothes. Steeling her courage and accepting the warning of every alarm bell ringing in her head, she pushed the door open and crawled into the dining room, shivering at the significant drop in temperature.

"Should have figured you weren't sleeping," Kaito commented as she sat a fair distance from him.

Aoko folded her arms resentfully. "You expect me to sleep after what happened?"

Kaito leaned closer to the side opposite her, his current sparkler dying in his hand.

"It was better than you busting your head open," he said defensively. "I almost thought I had to take you to the hospital!"

Aoko deflated slightly. Truth be told, Kaito had only been concerned; it was what friends did. In her anxiousness, she did set herself up to fall, walking like a maniac. Had she not done it, their present conversation would have centered around a different topic.

"I'm sorry," she said ruefully. "It won't happen again. Let's just forget it, okay?"

Kaito was still and quiet beside her, his shadowy form pointed toward the bag in his hands. Why did her chest ache at this request? It wasn't as though she wanted him to remember that little encounter! It would be a decent improvement for their future if they disregard its existence entirely.

"No," said Kaito. "I'm sorry… but I can't do that."

Aoko's lungs restricted in her chest. "What?"

"You silly girl," he continued, abandoning the bag on the floor. "You really don't see it, do you? How hard it was to let you go…"

Aoko felt her world tilt to the side, wanting to throw itself in full one-eighty. What was Kaito saying? Her thoughts returned to the image of those darkening eyes before he pushed her away and threw on his best masks. Heat pooled along her neck and back, trickling down her spine.

"I don't know what you mean," she said hoarsely.

The strike of the lighter caught her eyes on his efforts to light another sparkler, dimly illuminating both their figures in the darkness. He lifted the thin firework between them and drew a rose in front of her face. It faded in seconds, but the imprint lingered in her vision. Kaito had always given her roses, ever since the first day they had met as children.

"No, I think you do," Kaito said plainly.

Icy fingers ran up and down Aoko's arms in her efforts to subside the rising goose bumps that had broken out under the intensity of his gaze, half-hidden in shadows but clearly pronounced toward her. Torn between the hopeful idea of what Kaito was suggesting versus outright denial of the whole matter, Aoko's hands tightened over her knees, shivering from both the cold and nerves.

"You have no idea what you're talking about," she said quietly.

"Aoko—"

"No, Kaito!" Aoko forced herself to stare into his eyes, faintly illuminated by the sparkler. "Please, don't. What happened was an accident. You don't have to try and make me feel better by humoring me."

The silence that was born between them lasted until the next clink of the bamboo water pipe.

"Humoring her, she says," she heard Kaito mutter. "Aoko, I'm not joking around."

Aoko's fingernails clamped painfully to her upper legs. Her lungs began to restrict. Numbly, she wondered if it was panic, excitement, horror, or a combination of all three. It dawned on her that she might have already fallen asleep and this was part of an impossible dream.

The painful pinch on her arm told her otherwise.

"Of all the ways I wanted this conversation to go, this wasn't one of them," he muttered, running his hand through his hair. She watched as he stood up and went to turn on the light, almost laughing at the sight of him in teddy-bear-printed pajama pants. He returned to her side and sighed when she averted her eyes from him.

"Aoko, look at me."

"What do you want me to say?" she blurted out. "The only bombs you ever drop on me are the ones with confetti!"

"I'm all out. That's why I had the sparklers, but if they won't work…" He took a deep breath. "Then it's better to show you than tell you."

Aoko's gasp of surprise when Kaito leaned forward was cut off by the sensation of his smooth lips pressed against hers, overwhelming her with the taste of chocolate cake. His hand gently pinched her chin upward and pry her lips apart for him to…

Aoko effectively forgot how to think for only God knew how long.

Her whole body molded into his embrace. She was beyond registering the cascading rush of emotion that had been born in her chest. It was only when her lungs wailed fretfully for air that she found the will to unwind herself from him, to feel the flush of the cold air on her heated skin and realize that he had fully enveloped her in his arms as he had before, only this time she had curled up on his lap.

Foreheads pressed together and warmed by each others nearness, Aoko half-expected something terrible to charge in and drag her back to reality, far away from the warmth of his touch and the longing in those deep sapphire pools.

Did it matter if Aoko was dreaming or not as one of his hands loved to caress her cheek with a silky touch? It hadn't turned into a nightmare yet but the need for clarity was just too strong to deny.

"Kaito," she whispered against his mouth. "Stop."

He did more than stop. Instead, his entire form froze. Her lips fell into an involuntary pout as he leaned away from her, his expression as guarded as it was at the onsen, but she glimpsed a trace of hurt in those eyes before they sealed over any secrets he could bear to her.

Her heart slowly sank but it was too late to turn back.

"I need an explanation," she said, failing to steady her uneven breathing. "I just… I don't even know… what to think…"

Kaito's chest heaved what Aoko guessed was a soundless suspire. It reassured her that he didn't seem angry with her confusion or hesitation.

"Thought I was being obvious," he said, a blush to envy a rose erupting along his fine cheekbones. "Or does kissing mean something different to you?"

It was harder to identify where the fire burned more: Aoko's cheeks or Aoko's eyes.

"I meant—" Aoko rolled on to the soft bedding beside Kaito, freeing them both from a growing awkwardness. Tucking her knees to her chest, she curled her arms protectively around them and held them close. "Why? Was it because of… you know…?" Her eyes narrowed on a tiny hole in her pajama pants. "Because if so, I've got a mop with your name on it if you're going to be _that_ shallow!"

Kaito snorted unceremoniously and chose to take the moment and sprawl out on the soft fabric beneath them, tucking an arm beneath his head as a substitute pillow.

"Good to know," he said. "But if I was going to be that shallow, it wouldn't be with my Aoko, would it?"

Her breathing hitched. "Since when have I been _your_ Aoko?"

"Since I found her under a clock tower," he replied teasingly. "And you know what they say: finders keepers..."

"Lose their presumptuous teeth?" Aoko finished innocently, a renewed warmth sparking around her chest at the mere glimmer in his eyes. Her chances of escaped narrowed to zeros with two arm arms lashed out, grabbed her around her middle, and began tickling her mercilessly wherever her slapping hands couldn't reach.

"Kaito!" Aoko complained, her sight blurred with tears of mirth. "Can't—breathe!"

It was with great reluctance that the young Kuroba released his companion from his tickle mania and allowed her the chance to gulp down clean air before she choked. However, his arms refused to relinquish her from his newfound embrace, and instead opted to lay close beside her so that they faced one another, sharing his pillow and all. Aoko supposed that should have upset her.

"You think I'm lying?" he guessed, catching onto her expression.

"Face it, Kaito," she said defensively. "You could be with any girl you want. Even Akako-chan. And she _wants_ to be with you! I can't compete with her. All this time and you don't say anything until we're naked in the bath!"

The two remained silent, listening to the crashing waves and whispering trees until the sudden fall of the bamboo pipe.

"It's not because of _that_ ," he murmured, his breath tickling her lips. He caught the look on her face. "Not entirely because of that. You can say it gave me incentive. I guess I got tired of keeping it a secret. Wanting to be with you. Not Akako. You."

His words tempted Aoko to seriously consider if she had fallen asleep in that onsen and died because this was more than she expected from him. While the imprint of his touch activated wondrous shivers beneath her skin, his close proximity wasn't discomforting; surprisingly, it was no different than when they were younger and fell asleep on the couch during movie marathons: warm and safe. The rhythmic rise and fall of their chests slowly synchronized, their foreheads pressed together once more in the prolonged solace.

"Do I even want to know what you're thinking?" Aoko asked, her tone soft yet skeptical.

Kaito averted his eyes from her. "I prefer not to get my skull cracked tonight."

He settled for her 'playful' punch on the shoulder but maintained his hold around her waist, his lips reclaiming hers in what was a very chocolaty and chaste embrace.

"No tricks," he promised before she could protest. "No fanfare. No hidden cameras. Plain and simple. Really, who can resist a girl like you?"

Aoko blinked. "I thought I was a flat-chested boy to you?"

Kaito smirked. "Well, I have intel that _that_ isn't the case…"

The second punch to his shoulder was less playful and serenaded by an ominous growl. But it wasn't enough to frighten him away.

"You're not making it easy to say a confession, you know," he complained, looking exasperated. "Going on about having any girl… If I wanted any girl, I'd already be with her. If I wanted to suffer, I'd be with Akako. But instead, the one girl who matters to me thinks I'm telling jokes."

"You've never given me a reason to think otherwise!" Aoko protested, all the while drifting in shock at his words. "Everything's a joke to you!"

"Because the truth was trickier than juggling cards," he countered. "You were more likely to do me in than date me. Yeah, I'm an idiot, I know. But I'm your idiot... if you'll have me."

Hope was a dangerous word when coincided with temptation. Aoko had always believed she had known Kaito better than anyone (well, besides his mother) to recognize if he had romantic interests in anyone. It had seemed that he never did. But something in his eyes trenched up tiny snippets around her noggin, demanding attention to solve the little mystery.

' _There's the Aoko I know. I like her better_ ,' Kaito had said that day in Tropical Land when she had tried to be girlish and sweet on their date but had been acting a little too hard to prove he wasn't Kid. He enjoyed her rowdy-self more and it showed in the gleam of his eyes.

 _'Really, you're so cold. Just like ice cream,'_ she had said to him.

 _'But ice cream… is sweet, too.'_

The look on Kaito's face, configured beneath the dazzling glow of brightly color fireworks, Aoko had recognized a fondness in his eyes only present when something truly made him happy. She had assumed it was the ice cream, though his blush-worthy words had struck a chord with her.

She thought she had been teased again by his oddly flirtatious statement, but now she wondered if there was an element of truth there she had overlooked. Especially when its image was currently mirrored on his face. Poker face, be damned.

His hand reached to out and traced along her cheek. Her body betrayed her confusion and embraced his touch, her lips parting with a contented sigh.

It felt as though ages had passed since that evening when she was sure that Kaito's feelings for her would never graduate from being platonic. That her own growing feelings for him would remain her secret lest she lose him out of fear. Now here they were, in a position she had never predicted, waiting for an answer to part her lips. And she knew the answer she wanted to give, even though her doubts were screaming at her from all angles.

But hope won out; it had a strange habit of doing so when she least expected it.

Her voice refused to cooperate. Words were impossible to enunciate without it. So Aoko used the only option she had.

She grabbed Kaito's shirt collar and tugged him forward until his lips and once again molded to hers; and there was no denying his enthusiasm, either!

 **~M.K~**

It was well past midnight and the room temperature had dropped too low for Aoko's liking; her toes were frigid beneath her covers. Or should she say Kaito's covers? Neither had removed themselves from the makeshift bed, enraptured in kisses and chatter sworn never to leave the room. In turn, tucking under the covers with him to escape possible hypothermia was less risking than the journey back to her room, especially since his warmth was too inviting to leave.

She bothered to confess this to him and frowned at his sudden chuckle.

"You mean to tell me that your birthday gift is a death warrant from your father?" Kaito wheezed, doubling over with laughter.

"Oh, just shut up and go to sleep!" Aoko snapped, wondering if the rosiness would ever leave her face for the night. But she pillowed her head on his chest and smirked at his elevated heart rate against her ear.

That man was going to drive her mad, but she loved him for it anyway.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **The quotes are references to 'Kaito Kuroba's Busy Holiday' when Inspector Nakamori suspect's that Kaito s Kid and Aoko takes him on a date to prove him wrong.**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


	14. The Rock Show

**DISCLAIMER:** ** _Magic Kaito is the respective creation and property of Gosho Aoyama._**

 **AUTHOR:** ** _Melpomene-the-Tragic-Parody_**

 **MAIN CHARACTERS:** ** _Kaito Kuroba, Aoko Nakamori_**

 **CHAPTER:** ** _#_** ** _14_**

 **TITLE: _The Rock Show (a.k.a. The Kuroba Extraordinaires)_**

 **INSPIRED BY: _~ Rock Show, by Halestorm ~_**

 **~M.K~**

"I know I left them in here somewhere…"

Aoko stumbled to a stop at their bedroom door on her way to the bathroom, bemused at the sight of her harried husband rifling through their closet, his lower half sticking out and—was that a unicorn sticker plastered to his butt? Balancing her laundry basket on her hip, she pressed one hand over her mouth to smother the daring laugh begging to be heard. Kaito was hardly the wiser; she heard him profess a few ingenious swear words she knew he had learned from her father.

"Kaito, what are you doing?" she asked steadily.

A loud thud erupted from somewhere from inside the closet and a bizarre assortment of clothes and gizmos tumbled down in a disarrayed avalanche over her poor husband. A small bouncing ball bobbed and rolled to her feet, serenaded by a flatulent squeaking.

From somewhere beneath the ominous heap, a low groan emitted through the cracks.

"Need me to call a doctor?" Aoko inquired gravely to the unmoving mess.

"Give me a minute," the heap replied ruefully.

A tiny thrilling giggle sounded from the doorway, and Aoko turned in time to see a dark mess of hair disappear down the hall. If anything, a wave of embarrassment expelled from the heap in response.

"Alright, Kaito, what are you up to?" With a little help of his wife, Kaito was disentangled from the miniature avalanche and settled on the nearby ottoman, looking distinctively embarrassed and disgruntled. "I thought you were rehearsing."

"I was!" Kaito protested. "But I had some equipment I needed for my show that wasn't in my workshop so I thought I left it in here…"

The giggling noise returned, soft and sweet as candy.

Aoko and Kaito exchanged repentant glances.

It was something to be said that, after a one Aoko Nakamori agreed to marry a one Kaito Kuroba, all means of interest in their lives would increase. With the removal of both Kid and Pandora from their worries, a new threat had toed its way into their hearts, a work of their own creation in the name of their daughter, Kasumi Kuroba. Also known as the Little Mischief Ball of Terror.

"Kasumi!" Kaito called to the 'invisible' child. "Did you take my orange toolkit."

There was a steady moment of silence before a shy, "No, Papa" was returned.

It was challenging to discern whether or not the young couple was bothered or amused by their daughter's obvious disposition. Aoko observed her husband's feline prowess in sneaking effortlessly and quietly to the door, pause for a momentary second, and then striking out so fast he was nothing but a blur. He swirled back to face her, radiating an air of smugness as the tiny, squealing child in his arms flailed around and pouted at her father.

"No fair!" she protested. Her wide cerulean eyes, so much like her mother's, blinked at Kaito and pouted cutely.

"Yes, fair," Kaito replied evenly. "I'm your father, so I say its fair."

But when he had settled down on the ottoman, Aoko flicked the side of his head.

"She gets this from you, you know," she grumbled as Kaito extracted the little toolkit from his daughter's pocket. "I don't want our daughter growing up to be a thief."

"Don't worry. With your ability to lie, she'd never get far," Kaito teased, tickling the little bundle encased in his grip.

Kasumi's bright blue eyes lit up with glee as the easy stance between her parents transformed. It was safe to say that once Aoko had rescued her daughter from Kaito's grip, she left her giggling in witness to the traditional hunt known as Throttle-the-Magician.

 **~M.K~**

Playing cards flitted back and forth between Kaito's fingers while he listened to the speaker call of one of his sponsors. Perhaps 'attempted to listen' would have been a more accurate description. After all, a live, televised performance was extremely important. His fingers were enraptured in their dance of the deck and his eyes were fixed on the television screen, seemingly engrossed at whatever was on the cooking channel, but his interests were otherwise occupied.

From the corner of his eyes, he noticed a tiny little girl in her blue dress quietly tiptoe toward the couch. Humoring her, he prolonged his ignorance until a puff of colorful tulips showered his head in the form of his daughter's signature flower crown.

His fingers fumbled and the cards scattered to the ground. He heard Aoko snickering in the background.

"You're just jealous," Kaito called to her from over his shoulder.

Kasumi grinned and collected the fallen playing cards. "I've been practicing!" she announced, holding the cards up for him to see. "Show you?"

Who could resist those pleading eyes? Certain not the father of an eager six-year-old daughter. He was willing to bear the consequences for cutting the call short and focus his undivided attention on his precious protegee.

Year upon passing year, it had grown exceedingly obvious that little Kasumi was one after Kaito's own heart. Though she was essentially a miniature model of her mother, and perhaps properly spoiled with love by both her _Mama_ and _Papa_ , from the moment her father had dazzled her with his magical wonders, she had fallen in love with the art herself and played with magic tricks easily as any young child would play with toys. The results varied in her growing practices, it had never ceased to amaze Kaito at how brilliant she was at the art, rivaling his own talents when he had been her age.

' _What else did you expect?_ ' his mother Chikage would respond to his voiced option. ' _She's her parents' daughter!_ '

To a professional eye, it was natural to unravel the quirks of his daughter's playtime, but it warmed his heart to her eagerness to perform and impress her parents with any of the tricks he either taught her or she saw him make. Aoko (though she loved Kasumi as any mother could) never failed to notice that Kasumi had also inherited her paternal attributes of theft and sneaking around, a third-generation to a spiel she'd rather not encourage.

Not to mention that Kaito knew better than to laugh at the affronted expressions of his wife and father-in-law when Kasumi declared that being a police officer was boring and uninteresting to her.

The cards danced around in his daughter's fingers, somewhat slower than her father's skilled hand, but deftly enough that the astonishment radiating from Aoko's, still standing on the sidelines, was well-deserved.

"Tada!" With a neat flip, the cards cascaded into the air in a four suit explosion, momentarily distracting Kaito from the bolting impact that was Kasumi's hug around his midriff. "Surprise, Papa!"

Kaito buried the amusement of his laughter in Kasumi's dark mess of hair, his tulip flower crown tipping onto his forehead. In turn, he almost missed with his pocket felt questionably looser when she finally pulled away.

"You are a little rascal, you know that?" he remarked, fighting a grin as a tiny flash of her hand concealed his lighter in her pocket. He glanced at Aoko who clearly hadn't noticed. She hardly did when _he_ was the one up to those shenanigans. "And may I ask what your plans are for _that_."

Kasumi blinked up at him, entirely innocent.

"What do you mean, Papa?" she asked, swaying sweetly on the spot. She was a little imp in angel's clothing.

"You know what I mean, Flower," he replied. "Now, before your mother whips out the mop on me…"

Aoko folded her arms. " _Excuse_ me?" Her eyes widened disbelievingly when Kasumi dug the lighter out of her pocket and dropped it on her father's outstretched hand. Her incredulity heightened when caught her husband winking playfully at Kasumi's demeanor, obviously pleased.

She turned on her heel and declared to the gods, "See, this is why she thinks she can get away with anything!"

Kaito knew better than to comment.

"Are you rehearsing?" Kasumi curled up on the couch beside him. "Can I help?"

"Hmm…" Kaito considered her offer. "Helping me practice for tomorrow night's show or driving your mother up a wall?"

Kasumi considered her options carefully before solemnly declaring, "Both."

It was without further ado that Kaito snickered at the chorus of clanging pots in the kitchen.

 **~M.K~**

Aoko patiently fitted her squirming child into the blue-green dress her grandmother had gifted her for her birthday. Her pinks lips pulled into a pout as her hair was neatly tied back in two pigtails held together with blue-white ribbons. In hindsight, she appeared as disgruntled as her father did when her mother dragged him out to dinner with her Uncle Saguru.

"It's an important day for your father. Can you at least _try_ to smile?" Aoko asked encouragingly.

"I wanna be on stage with Papa!" Kasumi exclaimed insistently.

Aoko's heart thudded haphazardly.

She had caught Kasumi helping Kaito with his performance routines yesterday, which would not have been too big a deal had she not walked in on her daughter balancing precariously on her father's shoulders, juggling shimmering marbles high in the air interchangeably with him while he waltzed around the room. After the near heart-failure and a sound scolding of her husband that might have worried the neighbors, she had decidedly removed her daughter from any other potentially worrisome tricks.

This included Kasumi remaining home while her father left for stage rehearsals.

This had greatly displeased Kasumi.

"Maybe when you're older," Aoko replied.

Translation: _Only when you're no longer living under my roof_.

Only later did Aoko realize this sounded more like a challenge to her daughter than a reprieve, and later regretted ever uttering the words. Once properly dressed for the occasion, the Kuroba ladies ventured to the venue of Kaito's latest performance where Jii was waiting to greet them. With quick kisses to their Magician for luck, Aoko and Kasumi took their front-row seats beside Aoko's father, Ginzo, and Kaito's mother, Chikage.

"Ah! I remember Toichi's first televised show when we were courting," Chikage commented wistfully as the audience settled into their seats. "We were in Paris then, and…"

Ginzo and Aoko shared patiently exasperated glances. One way or another, the Kuroba matriarch had a bizarre habit of reminiscing over anything Kaito did that reminded her of his late father. It was no wonder that Kaito often fell asleep when she was around, prompting her to retell the story for him to hear, even if he knew every single one by heart. In addition to marrying into his family, it had become something Mrs. Kuroba the younger and her father had to endure as well.

"Oh, look! It's starting!" Ginzo exclaimed hurriedly as the lights began to dim, cutting Chikage off somewhere between a 'show of fiery wonder' and 'a charming venture of romance'. He nervously overlooked her side-eyed glare.

Beside Aoko, Kasumi bobbed excitedly in her seat as her father made a dazzling entrance that resonated exclaims of awe and wonder throughout the entire audience. It was with that exact wonderment that kept Kasumi glued to her seat, enraptured with the brilliance of her father's tricks, wits, and charms. Incorporating subtle humor kept his audience's spirits high, and he spared a quick wink to his family when the camera's turned to his assistant.

It was Aoko's bewitchment which distracted her from the unwanted disappearing act halfway through the performance.

In the midst of the applause, Kaito had spared a moment to seek the family table, and to the untrained eye, the lack of expression would have been overlooked as indifference by anyone who did not understand the significance of its jaunty stillness. But Aoko wasn't just anyone and knew that something had gone wrong. She caught Kaito's gaze directed at the seat beside her belonging to Kasumi and then at her. She turned her head and almost yelped out loud.

Kasumi's chair was absent of the little rascal.

"Kuroba Kasumi!" Aoko hissed under her breath. How long had she been gone? She turned to her father and mother-in-law, both of whom had heard her over the dying clapping as Kaito commenced his next act.

"Where did she go?" Ginzo whispered roughly.

"Nowhere far. I'll be right back!" Aoko quietly slid out of her chair and wove as stealthily as Kid. Kasumi knew better than to bother her father's audience. Where she had vanished to had more to do with Kaito more than anything else, Aoko was sure of it.

 **~M.K~**

' _Aoko can handle this. Aoko can handle this…_.'

Beyond the determination to keep the ball rolling, that was the mantra mentally recited by Kaito Kuroba from the moment he discovered a particular absence of his daughter. Already he could see his father-in-law flagging down nearby staff for aid, half out of his seat to follow Aoko's search party of one. Beside him, Chikage Kuroba was fighting laughter.

Calming his breath, Kaito plowed through the beginning of his next act, summoning up a stool for his assistant, a young woman called Suzu. It had been necessary once Jii's health outweighed the odds. Still, Jii opted to be his manager for the time being, and from the sidelines backstage, it was clear that he, too, had picked up on their conundrum.

Kasumi was simply too mischievous for her own good.

As Kaito was about to speak, he noticed something peculiar. Twittering chuckles and murmurs had erupted across his shadowy crowd. Normally, this would have fared well had he already carried out his trick, but the growing sound wasn't highlighted with awe, but with confusion and outright amusement.

His ears detected a hiss to his left, a familiar high-pitched sound that usually accompanied a spoon to the head when he tried to sneak a bite out of Aoko's cooking before mealtimes. He peeked to the side to see Jii and Aoko concealed behind the curtain, looking past him toward the other end of the stage. Aoko's voice carried this time, and the twittering and laughter of the crowd grew louder.

Kaito blinked in surprise. Was there something he was missing?

Tilting his head to the side, briefly nonplussed at the growing humor of his audience, Kaito finally had the common sense to turn and face the spot on the stage that had caught their attention. He almost had a heart-failure.

Standing on the stool, without a single care in the world, was Kasumi, mimicking his gestures and antics and grinning up at him like a little angel. From the corner of his eye, he saw Aoko gesturing for Kasumi to come off the stage right now and that she was in so much trouble. In turn, Ginzo and his mother remained amongst the audience, the former entirely flabbergasted and the latter highly entertained.

' _Poker face, poker face_ ,' Kaito chanted to himself, on the verge of nervous laughter.

Of all the things for his rascally daughter to do, she put down her hands and gave him _that look_ , the one in which she was the purest kitten in the world who deserved absolutely no punishment for interrupting a show in front of a live audience, televised to all of Japan to see.

She looked just like her mother with those wide, cerulean eyes. It wasn't a fair game. He couldn't resist that look and she knew it!

Still frozen, the audience's laughter grew at the sight of the awkward stance between father and daughter. There was no shyness from his baby girl, just playful glee. Kaito's heart melted. Oh, Aoko was going to kill him for this.

"Well, ladies and gentlemen," he finally said, turning back to the crowd with an embarrassed but cheerful grin. "It seems as though we have ourselves a lovely guest assistant for the evening."

Yes, he confirmed to himself from the intensity of ire piercing his skull from the sidelines. Aoko was definitely going to kill him.

 **~M.K~**

There were many facts about Kaito that had astounded Aoko beyond words: discovering he was Kid, his chase for Pandora, the truth behind his father's death, that Akako was a witch (that was still hard to swallow), or that Kaito could even fall in love with her.

But allowing their tiny daughter to get away with her most startling of shenanigans in front of Japan took the cake. This man was _so_ lucky that she loved him!

The curtains drew to a close on Kaito's explosive finale, and she was sure the sound of the crowd's commendation would resonate with her for the rest of the night. The magical duo must have sensed trouble brewing as they departed the stage together, Kasumi safely tucked away in her father's arms and brimming with joviality. She snuggled closer to Kaito as they came to stand in front of a very peeved mother.

"You are in so much trouble!" Aoko said, hands on her hips as she glared down at her less-than-bashful daughter. "I turn around for five seconds and you-you-"

"She wasn't harming anyone!" Kaito protested, still chuckling to himself. "Besides, they all loved her! You saw what she did out there! Magician extraordinaire! A few years of training and—" He faltered under Aoko's weathering gaze. "—And we'll talk about that later."

Kissing her forehead, Kaito lowered Kasumi to the floor, where she gazed back up at the two adults with unfiltered sweetness. Laying that on thick, was she? Aoko raised her eyebrows at the little girl swaying gently in front of her, eyes bright and a cheeky grin befitting her father brightly displayed on her little pink lips. She looked just like her father and it was so difficult to stay mad at her.

"This is your fault," Aoko finally said to Kaito, who jumped in alarm.

"I'm not the one who lost track of her!" he protested.

"She inherited all that mischief from you!" she snapped.

"I should hope so," Kaito said, mockingly serious. He perched his hands on his hips. "Unless there's something you want to _tell_ me..."

The teasing implication had Aoko red as beets. What had begun as a swat atop her husband's head quickly transformed into an embarrassing display of affection when Kaito grabbed her around the waist and planted a fervent kiss on her lips.

Blushing to the shade of the rose in his lapel, Aoko squeaked, " _Kaito!_ " as he lifted her in his arms and twirled them in spirals. "Jeez, you're so ridiculous!"

"But you love me anyway?" he guessed, grinning when Aoko's eyes sparkled in response.

"Don't think either of you is off the hook," she grumbled, folding her arms at an awkward position while still encased in her husband's grip.

Kasumi burst into giggles at her parents' antics, a signature mark of just another day in their rambunctious lives.

 **~M.K~**

 **FURTHER NOTES:**

 **The name Kasumi can mean both 'mist' and a combination of 'flower/blossom' and 'clean/pure'. Since Kaito has a specialty for using roses in his acts and has teased white as pure on Aoko (we all know what I'm talking about), I thought it would be a sweet name for their daughter.**

 **I know it's not entirely a Kaito x Aoko centric plot, but it was a funny concept I could not resist. I wish I could develop it more, but that would require its own separate story from these one-shot wonders.**

 **I apologize for my delayed update. I had a little mishap cooking a few days ago and got painful burns that prevented me from using my hands properly for a while. My typing was marginally slower for that.**

 **Thanks are in order for Akrim and DCSR392 for reviewing the previous chapter!**

 _ **Reviews and criticisms are welcome.**_

— **MELPOMENE-THE-TRAGIC-PARODY , signing out.**


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